Flowers In The Snow
by zensho
Summary: “Sesshoumaru-sama never speaks much about his feelings,” Rin said, “He has told me he values me, that I am worth more to him than tenseiga... and that makes me happy."
1. Chapter 1: Flame Of The Night

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 1: Flame Of The Night**

The girl bent over the river bank, her hand stretching out towards a large, yellow, flower blooming amidst the muddy water by the river's edge. Lost in intense concentration, she did not notice a short figure waddle up behind her and raise a large staff as if to strike her.

"RIIIIN!" shrieked the little figure, whacking her with the staff as he called out... "WE ARE GOING! Don't waste...AWAAA!"

The little green figure squawked with horror as the girl overbalanced and fell into the shallow water at the river's edge. As she fell, she gave a little scream.

Rin found herself sitting in about two feet of muddy water, the yellow flower clutched in her hand. After recovering from the shock of overbalancing, she fixed a death-glare on the little green toad who had been the cause of her accident.

"Jaken no bakaaaaa!" she screamed, picking up a rock to fling at his head.

"You shouldn't be doing such dangerous things....AWAAA!" Jaken squawked as the rock hit him square on his head. Her aim was every bit as good as his master's.

"Rin no bakaaaa! Temeera...."

"Jaken."

The little green toad was silenced by the deep voice of his master.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Jaken pushed Rin into the river!" the girl grinned as she picked her way out of the water and crawled up the river bank. She was disgustingly muddy. It was not a very clean part of the river. Jaken wrinkled his nose. He could tell the girl was trying gain his master's sympathy because she had reverted to the childish way of referring to herself in the third-person. She only did this in moments when she forgot herself or wanted to deliberately appear cute.

Sesshoumaru's face was inscrutable, as usual. He merely raised an eyebrow.

"We are going."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin scrambled up the river bank and skipped happily behind her master. "Jaken! Hayaku! Didn't you hear? We are going!"

"Awaaa...." Jaken's eyes grew wide as he sputtered in anger, "That's what I was sent here to tell you in the first place!" He struck his staff-of-heads on the ground in petulant anger. The figure of his master and the girl disappeared into the woods and he realized he was all alone. "Wait up! Waaaaiiit up! Sesshoumaru-sama..... Rin.....Seshoumaru-samaaaa......Riiiiiin!"

Rin hummed as she stuck the yellow flower into her hair. Perhaps it was worth it to have fallen into the river after all, had the toad not pushed her, she would probably not have been able to reach this lovely flower.

"Sesshoumar-sama....does Rin look nice?" She skipped ahead of her master and twirled around.

Sesshoumaru made a non-committal sound and Rin smiled. She was used to his silences.

"You'd better clean that kimono!" Jaken scolded Rin. How could that girl not even seem to notice she was filthy with mud from head to foot? "That kimono cost Sesshoumaru-sama fifty pieces of silver and we only bought it last week! Now you've gone and ruined it, you naughty girl!"

Rin looked down at her once-cream, now-grey kimono in mortification. It was true. She was filthy!

"That was your fault, toad!"

"Was not!"

"Was too."

"Was not."

"Was too."

"Was not."

"Was too."

Rin wrung out the hem of her kimono as hard as she could and watched a trickle of dismal muddy water form a pool at her feet.

Her beautiful new kimono...ruined! And Sesshoumaru-sama had just bought it last week! She looked at the pretty lilac flowers and green leaf pattern that trailed over the expensive, cream silk and felt tears come to her eyes. She had really loved the design! Why could she never seem to look after her kimonos properly? Stupid Rin. Stupid Jaken. Stupid Rin. She scolded herself.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I always said it was ridiculous to provide this filthy human girl with such nice kimonos. Silk is much too good for her, she ruins them rolling in the grass and mud! I don't know why you insist on wasting such good money on her..."

A rock to the head silenced him.

"Jaken."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." The little toad fell to his knees before his master as Sesshoumaru turned to glare at him.

"Shut up."

"Hai, Seshsoumaru-sama."

Rin sniffled as she tried to wring the mud out of her kimono. It wasn't going well. The party trailed on in silence. Sesshoumaru, great Dog Youkai Lord of the Western Lands walked ahead followed by Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un the dragon, in that order. In the silence, each became engrossed in their own thoughts.

Sesshoumaru's silver hair trailed in the light breeze and he kept his hand on the two swords by his side. Toukijin and Tenseiga: they were two of the four most famous youkai swords in the land. The other two swords were Souunga and Tessaiga, which belonged to his deceased father and his idiot half-brother Inuyasha respectively. Souunga was sealed away in hell for good, after a furious battle with his father's arch-rival, Takemaru, who had attempted to steal the sword. As for Tessaiga, his idiot half-brother still carried it, chopping away wildly at everything with such poor sword technique... it was really embarrassing they were related.

Right now, Sesshoumaru was thinking neither of his brother or his father. He was hurrying Southward...his sensitive nose had picked up the scent of a massive amount of blood, youkai and human mixed. This battle was going on too near his Western borders to be ignored, he wondered what Nibori-Sama, Serpent Lord of the Western Lands, had allow to happen on his lands...

Rin had given up wringing out her kimono. It was fruitless. She hoped that Sesshoumaru-sama would stop at a hot spring that night so she could wash out the dirt before it set into the fabric. She was the little human girl that ten years ago, Sesshoumaru-sama had brought back to life with Tenseiga, and since that day she had followed him with blind devotion. Over the years, her figure had lengthened and filled out, her wild hair had grown tamer and was now neatly held back with a purple ribbon as it trailed down her back. Years of being on the road had given her ivory skin a healthy flush. Yes, had she but known of the traditional standards of human attractiveness, she would have realized she was rare beauty. As it was, she was completely unspoilt and oblivious, having had little contact with humans for the last ten years.

Jaken grumbled and trailed along with the dragon Ah-Un's reigns held in his hands. The little green toad was Sesshoumaru-sama's faithful retainer, and nursemaid for his human charge too, Jaken thought grumpily. Why didn't Sesshoumaru-sama just buy him an apron and cap? After all, he expected him to baby-sit this, this... overgrown baby of a girl even now! Hmpf...that girl would be the death of him...sure she could be charming at times, good company, fun even...wait, what was he thinking? Hmpf...she was seventeen years old already! Why didn't she just trot off to a human village and get herself married off to some ningen boy? No ningen was good enough for Rin, that's why! Jaken snorted...How dare a human touch their Rin...wait a minute, what was he thinking? Hmpf...

"Ne, Jaken-sama..."

Oh, so she wanted to make peace now did she? Well, he, Jaken, would not be so easily...

"Aak!" Jaken squawked and blushed bright red as Rin picked him up and kissed him on his green snout. "Put me down you, you silly girl! How dare you pick me up! Aaaak!" Rin put the toad demon down and walked beside him.

"Gomenasai...Rin should not have been balancing by the muddy water..."

"That's right you stupid girl!" The little toad tried to sound angry, but he only sounded pleased.

"Jaken-sama... will you show Rin how to clean her kimono later if Sesshoumaru-sama stops at a hot spring?"

So that was what she wanted, the devious little...

Rin swiftly picked him up and kissed him again and Jaken's eyes glazed over and he gave a silly grin. "H-Hai...whatever you say Rin..."

"Arigato Jaken-sama!" Rin grinned widely. "Rin caught this for you when Rin fell in the river." She handed him a small mudskipper, his favourite snack.

"Hmpf" he said, as he popped it into his mouth. Tasty. That girl had her uses, he supposed.

The sun now hung low in the sky. Little pools of steam appeared in front of them and Rin rushed forward. "A hot spring! Just what I needed."

"We will stop here for tonight." Sesshoumaru halted and leaned against a tree. "Jaken, build a fire and gather food for Rin."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Rin, go and clean yourself."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin did not need to be told. Tearing off her kimono, she plunged into the warm water of the hot spring and began vigourously scrubbing herself with the soft sand at the bottom.

Sesshoumaru-sama felt heat flame in his cheeks as he turned away from her. It was his fault really that the girl felt no shame. She was still as innocent and naïve as a little child. Her nakedness meant nothing to her, perhaps he should have said something about the subject to her...but that was a mother's work. And he had never brought himself to do it.

Jaken huffed and puffed preparing the camp. After he had gathered a small heap of mushrooms, he went off grumbling to Rin. The naked girl waved at him from out of the water.

"Awwwk....don't show me that disgusting human body! You know it pains my eyes!" Jaken turned away.

Jaken was another being with no sense of shame, Sesshoumaru thought. The toad did not feel complex emotions like...like...His thoughts became confused and Sesshoumaru found that he could not finish his sentence. That was unusual for him. He, great Lord of the Western Lands, was never confused.

He watched idly as Jaken cleaned the kimono with soft sand and stones. The toad rubbed in the sap of a nearby willow and added some crushed flowers to make a paste. The mud came out easily enough and the kimono was as good as new. Fifty pieces of silver, Sesshoumaru thought. A small price to pay for his Rin. Money was no object to the Tai-youkai. He had chests of it just rotting around his old castle...the lesser demons and humans on his lands still paid their tithes faithfully, and the hoard of money grew, and grew. Next time, Sesshoumaru thought, he would buy an even finer kimono for her...a hundred silver pieces at least. And two golden combs for that wild hair of his Rin.

As if she knew he was thinking about her, the girl hurried up to him, dressed in her newly cleaned kimono which had been quickly dried by the warm breath of the Ah-Un the dragon. She was sparkly clean again. By the firelight, her cream kimono gleamed as if made of gold, but nothing shone as brightly as the snow-white skin of Rin herself. Her large brown eyes were fixed with adoration on Sesshoumaru as she settled herself by his feet and leaned against him. She had already finished her share of mushrooms and was getting ready for rest.

Jaken snorted as he ate his mushrooms. The girl took such liberties with his master! And his master put up with it! Why look at her now, snuggling into his side...

"Sesshoumaru-sama...I kept this for you." Rin lifted the large yellow bloom to him in offering. "It's still fresh even though I plucked it hours ago, in fact, it's even more beautiful now, don't you think so, Sesshoumaru-sama? What flower is it? I have never seen one as beautiful as this."

Sesshoumaru stopped looking at the stars and accepted the flower from Rin. He looked at it for a moment before putting it by his swords. "Shoujinya" he said quietly, "The flame of the night. You picked it at half bloom in the day, it reaches its full bloom only at night. By tomorrow, it will wither and die."

"Shoujinya..." Rin repeated under her breath. She committed to memory everything Seshsoumaru told her. It was from him that she learned about the world around her, whenever he cared to speak to her about it.

"It is a good flower to have."

Rin smiled as she looked into his deep, golden eyes. She knew that by this sentence, he had forgiven her stupidity at falling into the muddy water and nearly ruining her kimono. She leaned against the soft white silk of his hakama and breathed in his wonderfully comforting scent. He smelled like the fresh sea, like his great palace of the Western Lands by the sea which they occasionally returned to stay in for some time. Since he seemed in the mood for talk, she would try her luck.

"Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama..."

"Nani."

"What are you thinking about?"

"The battle in the Southern Lands."

"Are we going there?"

"Yes."

"What will happen when we get there?"

"You will stay out of harm's way while I look for Nibori-Sama and find out what the disturbance is." Sesshoumaru's mind returned to a day eight years ago when Rin had wandered out onto the battlefield during the show-down with Naraku. Naraku had seized her at once and used her to distract Sesshoumaru in battle. It was only by luck that Kikyou's arrow had severed Naraku's tentacle and caused him to release the child. Since that day, he had forbade Rin from going near any battle field again.

Rin was quiet as he answered. She knew she was liability to the youkai Lord. She knew that his honour demanded that he protect her, his ward, his property, at all costs. More than once she had been used in battle against him, though recently she always made it a point to stay out of harm's way. Her back bore long scars where Naraku's evil shouki had burned her in that final battle.

"Then after that, what will you do, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Return home."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." She rested her face in the white silk of his trousers and gave a contented sigh. So they would be returning to the palace after he dealt with the disturbance in the South. She wondered what Nibori-Sama was like, and what the battle was about. During her years with Sesshoumaru-sama, she had only heard his name mentioned once or twice. Nibori-sama was the Serpent Lord of the Southern Lands, but she had no doubt that he was inferior to Sesshoumaru-sama. Her Sesshoumaru-sama was the most powerful demon in the world.

After that, they would return to his palace where she could go her old room, with its soft futon and silk paintings. She could practice her writing brush-strokes in the quiet afternoons and Sesshoumaru-sama would teach her more brush-strokes. There would be walks on the beach, and visits from the lesser demons who served on his lands. If Kyoko-chan was still there, the fox-demon would continue to teach her to play the shamisen! Rin flexed her little fingers, she was already quite good, but not good enough yet to play for her Sesshoumaru-sama. She wanted to play a perfect song for him, she could almost hear his word of praise...so rarely given, and therefore so much more sincere..._Well done, Rin._

Sesshoumaru wondered what Rin was thinking. A blissful smile had formed on her sweet face and her eyes were tightly shut. He resisted the urge to rest his clawed hand on her soft hair. She was no longer a child, such demonstrations of affection were no longer appropriate. Of course, she would not know the reason for that, having known no other human society.

Gently, he sat down where she rested and wrapped her in his soft fur stole. Jaken was already fast asleep on the other side of the fire. Rin snuggled deeper into Sesshoumaru's fur...her slender fingers clutched at his haori...and she sighed sleepily. This was the way they often slept after a hard day's travel. Even though Rin had grown up, she still insisted on sleeping next to him. At first, it had troubled Sesshoumaru to think how he would look to anyone who saw him with the child sleeping in his fur, but over the years, he had ceased to let it concern him. Now, she was no longer a child, but a young woman nestled in his arms....that had a whole different meaning...he protectively tightened his stole around Rin and looked up at the moon.

He already knew she would stay with him forever. _Itsumo demo_...she had cried, when he asked her if she wanted to stay on with him. On just one day every year, for nine years, he had asked her this same question, and always the answer was the same: _itsumo demo_, forever and always. This year, her answer was different. She had taken his face between her hands and solemnly said, _"Why do you waste your breath, Sesshoumaru-sama? My answer will never change, do not ask me again."_

So she would stay beside him forever.

Forever. Did she even know what that meant?

_Sesshoumaru-sama...will you forget Rin when she dies?_ A childish voice from the past came back to haunt him. Since the day she had asked that question, a feeling of unease had settled on him. He had watched her grow, the relentless march of time marking his little Rin with extravagant beauty for a human. But he knew it would eventually mark her with the darkness of old age. A soft glow at his side distracted him. The Shoujinya flower glowed brightly golden by his side and Sesshoumaru stroked its petals gently. By tomorrow, this lovely flower would wither and die.

Unbeknownst to Rin, he had travelled and researched for eight years the secret to over-coming Rin's mortality. But the answer eluded him. No spell, or potion, or herb held the answer. He hoped the problem with Nibori-Sama would not take too long to settle, every second was precious to him now, strange indeed for a Youkai to whom the passing of centuries previously meant nothing. At his side, Rin breathed deeply and gently, unaware of the purpose of her Lord's constant journeying, content to simply follow faithfully by his side.


	2. Chapter 2: Snow Man

**Flower In The Snow**

**Chapter 2: Snow Man**

Sesshoumaru led his motley group through the rocky region that formed the border between the Western Lands and the South. It had been nearly forty years since he had crossed this place. The last time it had been to attend a conference of the Youkai Lords about how to deal with the deadly human assassins known as the Seven Man Group. Nibori-Sama was a peaceful Orochi and the activities of the bloodthirsty Shichinintai did not sit well with him. For once, orochi youkais had co-operated with humans to trap and slay a common foe. However, since that time, Sesshoumaru had had no reason to visit the South. He had politely declined an invitation to the birth of Nibori-Sama's son, sending rich gifts instead. In truth, Sesshoumaru did not like to expend energy where it was not needed, these matters simply did not concern him.

Now he found himself traversing the route he had taken so long ago, not by invitation but by necessity. He could not allow such massive bloodshed so close to his borders to go uninvestigated. It was even stranger that no word had come from Nibori-sama regarding the battles… perhaps the Tai-youkai had grown proud and stupid.

"Riiiiin!" Jaken's shrill voice brought Sesshoumaru out of his reverie. "Riiin, come back here!"

Rin was lagging behind, collecting coloured stones to grind into paste. She could use them for painting and writing when she returned to the Palace of the Western Lands. She smiled at Jaken and ignored him, gathering a fistful of ochre, then green permanganate, putting them in a pouch by her waist.

"Rin."

She stopped what she was doing and looked up immediately, "Hai Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Do not fall behind. This region is a dangerous place."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Gomenasai, I found such wonderful pebbles for grinding into paint! There are different colours here than in the Western lands!"

Rin caught up with Sesshoumaru and Ah-Un. She stretched out her hands to show him the stones. Sesshoumaru nodded slightly and turned to continue on his way.

"You better not fall behind!" Jaken scolded, brandishing his staff around. "This region is inhabited by all sorts of nasty ningen and youkai…Nibori-Sama doesn't keep his lands as safe as Sesshoumaru-sama does. If you get eaten by a big youkai, don't expect me to save you!"

Rin tossed her long, dark-brown hair and her purple hair-ribbon glinted in the sunlight. Sesshoumaru watched as the girl laughed, her bright eyes full of confidence.

"As long as we're with Sesshoumaru-sama, Jaken, what have we to fear? Surely you know Sesshoumaru-sama is the most powerful youkai in the world and he will always protect us?"

She patted Jaken affectionately on the head and ignored his grumbling.

Sesshoumaru's thoughts went back to eight years ago…

He was on his knees in front of Naraku, blood pouring from an enormous wound in his chest. Naraku had plunged a tentacle right through him, breaking through his chest armour. Nearby, his brother Inuyasha wasn't faring much better. He and his strangely-dressed miko woman Kagome were trying desperately to free the wolf-demon from Naraku's clutches. The last two shikon shards were in that wolf-demon's legs, at all cost they had to stop him being absorbed. Inuyasha too was badly wounded, one arm hanging uselessly by his side, badly broken and crushed.

"You bastard." Sesshoumaru's eyes turned red. "You filthy hanyou!" He felt his hair begin to stand on end, his muscles begin to grow. A mad rage filled his mind as his teeth and claws lengthened horribly. It was his most severe attack, his transformation into his true nature. A terrible growl escaped him.

Naraku laughed. "A three legged dog? Don't waste my time." Naraku shot shouki straight into Sesshoumaru's open wound and the dog-demon abruptly stopped his transformation with a howl of pain.

"It will be a pleasure to absorb a tai-youkai like you…even if you only have three limbs, I suppose." Sesshoumaru felt himself being enfolded in the horrid folds of Naraku's rotting tentacles. "You were a worthy opponent, Sesshoumaru. I shall enjoy this."

Suddenly, Naraku's attention was distracted by something and he turned away. To Sesshoumaru's horror, he heard a familiar girlish scream.

"Why, Sesshoumaru's little girl. How nice of you to drop by."

Rin screamed as Naraku wrapped a tentacle around her and lifted her off the floor. Tears streamed down Rin's eyes, but she wasn't crying for help. She simply looked determined.

Sesshoumaru's mind whirled, what on earth was Rin doing on the battlefield? He had told her to stay with Ah-Un in the forest! She never disobeyed him. What could she be thinking?

"Leave Sesshoumaru-sama ALONE!" Rin screamed suddenly, and to Sesshoumaru's surprise, and the Inu-tachi who had managed to free Kouga and run over, but most of all to Naraku's enormous outrage and shock…Rin bit him.

Naraku looked annoyed beyond words. "You little BRAT!" he snarled, "What the hell do you think you're…"

But the momentary distraction had given Inuyasha enough time to hack through Naraku's tentacles with his Tessaiga.

Sesshoumaru leaped free, blood pouring from his wounds, his one thought was to save Rin. Having accomplished what she had come for, Rin suddenly looked panicky.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" she screamed, "Tasukete!"

Kagome raised her bow and arrow to try to shoot off Naraku's tentacle…but she missed as her feet were swiped from under her by a blast of shouki.

"Watch me rip your little girl apart, Sesshoumaru! Feel her blood drip on your head!" Naraku slashed his tentacles across Rin's back, making her slump limply.

Suddenly, a mysterious purity arrow shot through the shouki and pierced the tentacle holding Rin. She screamed as she fell, but was caught by the Taijiya and the monk before she hit the ground.

Sesshoumaru did not hesitate. With Toukijin in hand, he and his half-brother went for the kill. Naraku lashed hopelessly at the two half-brothers, but he could not pierce through a protective barrier that had formed around them.

A pale miko stood by the side, a bow by her side, her hands clasped in prayer. Kikyou had arrived at last.

"This is it, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha gasped unsheathing a diamond-hard Tessaiga, "Let's kill that piece of shit!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. His eyes were red. He barely heard his brother. How DARED Naraku harm Rin…the brothers lifted their swords, Kikyou chanted, Kagome put her final purity arrow into her bow, a badly injured Rin watched from the arms of the Taijiya…

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Nanda?"

"How much further?"

He eyed her levelly. Even though she smiled and looked brave, he could tell she was tired. Lost in his thoughts, he had not noticed that night had fallen and they had traveled far.

"We will stop here tonight. Tomorrow, we should reach Nibori-Sama's palace."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. I am going to bathe now, if you please." Rin grabbed a small pack of herbs from Ah-Un and ran off toward where a small cloud of steam appeared between the rocks. It was a warm spring.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru said, "Watch over her."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" The little toad retainer hobbled off to where Rin was bathing. He knew that Sesshoumaru only ordered him to watch Rin when the lands were not safe. This mountainous region of the South had an ill-feeling about it.

Soon, Sesshoumaru heard the sounds of splashing and squawking and he knew that Jaken was being dunked by Rin. The Tai-youkai leaned against a rock and took a deep breath. Rin was safe here with him. He never liked to leave her in his palace because he trusted no one but himself to protect her. So Rin accompanied him on all his patrols and journeys, and truth be said, she was safer with him than if left at home.

Sesshoumaru hoped that the problems with Nibori-Sama would be settled soon. In two months, it would be December and the snow would begin to fall. At this time, he liked to be near his Western palace, no where else on earth was as beautiful as its snow-covered gardens in mid-winter. Sesshoumaru's favourite season was winter: the white, smooth, snow soothed his spirit and he enjoyed nothing better than sitting silently in the snow, watching the frost grow on the lake.

Rin would sit beside him. She was always well bundled up in a thick wool kimono.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she exclaimed playfully five years ago, "You are all white and still. You look like a snowman!"

"Who told you about snowmen?"

"Jaken-sama and Kyoko-chan taught me how to build one. Does Sesshoumaru-sama want to see?"

"Hnh."

Joyfully, Rin leapt off the bench beside him and began rolling the snow into balls. She worked happily and efficiently, her little hands turning blue with the cold, though she seemed not to care. Slowly, a small segmented man took shape beneath her hands. She found little black pebbles for its eyes, nose and mouth. Finally, she stood back and surveyed her work proudly. Then she frowned. Something wasn't right. Carefully, she took a stick and drew on a crescent moon on the forehead of the snowman and two stripes on each cheek. At last, she was happy.

"Does Sesshoumaru-sama like it?"

Sesshoumaru stared at the ridiculous snowman. It was crudely made, lop-sided, but there was no mistaking it…it looked like him.

"Very nice, Rin."

Rin clapped with joy then blew on her cold hands.

"Come here."

Sesshoumaru took the little girl's icy hands in his own, careful not to scratch her with his claws. He rubbed them vigorously till they were pink and warm, then he held them for a moment before letting go, contemplating her little fingers.

"Arigatou gozaimsu," Rin said quietly. Still but a young child of twelve, she sat in the soft snow by his feet and rested her head on his hakama.

Sesshoumaru watched her by his feet. She was wearing a pink wool kimono richly embroidered with white birds. She looked like a winter rose, blooming amidst the snow-field. He rested a clawed hand on her head. It was time to ask her that question again.

"Rin, do you want to stay with me or go to a human village?"

"I will stay with you forever, Sesshoumaru-sama, itsumo demo."

Sesshoumaru nodded, satisfied that his beautiful flower in the snow would be blooming in his garden next winter.

A chill wind blew in the air. Year after year, things remained the same. Seasons came and seasons went, and now, Sesshoumaru smelt a new winter in the air. He hoped that Rin had finished her bath and was warmed up. A sound to his left distracted him, Jaken appeared with a large bundle of firewood and a small fowl for dinner.

"Where is Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Rin finished her bath and was combing out her hair on a rock by the pool, Sesshoumaru-sama. She asked this Jaken to get dinner as she was hungry. She should be there still."

Sesshoumaru nodded and walked toward the warm spring.

Rin combed out her long hair with the ebony comb inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold that Sesshoumaru-sama had given her. She hummed as she smoothed out the knots. She heard a rustle to her left.

"Hello there, pretty lady."

She said nothing but stared at the human men who had found her. There were three of them, all three were tall and well-built. She said nothing, having an innate fear of all humans since her family had been slaughtered by bandits.

"I told you it was a tennyou!" said one of the men to the one who had spoken. "She's a tennyou or youkai for sure. She's much too beautiful to be human. We'd better leave her alone before she puts a curse on us."

"No, she's human enough all right." The third man spoke, pointing to Rin's discarded kimono and little pile of washing soap by the warm spring. "That soap is a common village-make."

"Can you speak?" The three men began to walk towards her, their eyes clinging to her naked form, "What's a lovely girl like you doing alone out here?"

Rin shook her head, her dark hair covered right breast but her left was exposed. "You'd better not come closer. Sesshoumaru-sama hates people staring at me while I bathe."

"Why, she's not shy at all!" one of the men exclaimed. "She's not even trying to cover her modesty!" They were within five feet of her now. Rin made no attempt to jump into the pool, she certainly didn't want to get all wet again after drying her hair. All she had to do was scream and Sesshoumaru-sama would arrive.

"Who is Sesshoumaru-sama? Is he your father or your husband?" one of the men asked, "Whoever he is there's three of us and only one of him, little lady."

Rin still sat on the rock unmoved. "He will kill you if I call him, please go away." Rin said quietly.

Sesshoumaru took in the sight in less than a second. Three men were approaching Rin, who was unclothed. There was an explosion of green light and some muffled gasps. The three men fell dead. Rin looked up in surprise.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! How did you know to come? I had not even called you yet."

Rin thought there was something very wrong with Sesshoumaru. His eyes were tinged with red and his lips were pulled back into a snarl. She had not seen him look so angry in years.

"S-Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru could hardly speak. The rage within him still boiled. How dare they stare so shamelessly at Rin! How dare they desire her body! She was not theirs to even think about. He would kill anyone who…

"S-Sesshoumaru sama?" Rin climbed down from the rock and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Daijoubu?"

"If any man sees you bathing next time, Rin, scream."

"Even if he doesn't harm me?"

"Yes."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin watched the red fade from his eyes. He pushed her hair back from her face.

"Put on your clothes, you will catch cold."

Rin nodded and turned to pick up her clothes, stepping over the bodies of the three human men as she did so.

Sesshoumaru caught sight of the pink scars on her back. The scars Naraku had given her when she had tried to help him. The cream silk of her kimono rose over the scars and over her milk-white shoulders. For a moment, Sesshoumaru felt his remaining arm twitch towards that milk-white skin of hers. The softness, the whiteness….like winter snow that he so loved. He could almost feel that smooth whiteness between on his fingertips, it would be like experiencing the beauty of winter trapped in the skin of Rin. Would that smooth whiteness be wrinkled with age one day? Her smooth white purity dulled with cruel time?

She pulled her hair into a loose ponytail and fastened her obi.

"Let's go, Rin."

"Hai!"

"Remind me to smack Jaken when I see him."

"Hai!"

They walked in silence. Finally, Sesshoumaru could not hold it in any more.

"Rin"

"Hai?"

"Promise me you will never show your unclothed body to any man again."

Rin felt confused, "Why? Is Rin's body ugly?" That could be the only reason, Jaken often told her how her ugly human form disgusted him.

Sesshoumaru nearly smiled. The girl really had no idea.

"Your body is a precious gift from heaven that you may only show to your dearly loved ones, not to strangers. Do you understand?"

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin must treasure her body, like how Sesshoumaru-sama always says Rin must eat well to feed it, and bathe well to clean it, so it is like a treasure to be kept safe."

"Exactly, Rin."

"But for you it is all right?" Rin looked worried, "Sesshoumaru-sama is Rin's dearly beloved right? Rin is not ugly to you?"

Sesshoumaru suppressed a jolt in his chest. The urge to reach out and hold his human ward to him was almost irresistible.

"This Sesshoumaru knows that Rin's body is a beautiful treasure, but do as you like, Rin."

With that one sentence, Rin's mind expanded several times. Her heart gave a delighted leap. Was he calling her beautiful? Like how he said the moon was beautiful, or the flowers she brought him, or the winter snow on his lands? Did he think of her like all those things? Could she be as beautiful as all those things he loved so much? Then she was greatly honoured. She, a human, was thought of as the moon, the flowers and the snow, by Sesshoumaru-sama. Had he always thought that?

"Arigatou gozaimsu, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said softly, squeezing his hand gently, "You honour Rin too much. So from now on, Rin will keep herself beautiful only for you."

_Much thanks to my reviewers. I love writing this story and I promise you a good plot! Please review!_


	3. Chapter 3: Ebony Comb

**Flowers In The Snow**

****

**Chapter 3: Ebony Comb**

Inuyasha sniffed the air and growled softly.

"Inuyasha?"

He turned to face Kagome at his side. She had risen from her sleeping bag by the fire and come to join him at the edge of the little cliff on which they rested for the night.

"Blood, Kagome...lots of blood from the South."

"Mm." Kagome nodded, "I can sense a large amount of jyaki out South. It seems the Orochi are up to something...I only hope they are not attacking villages."

Inuyasha sniffed. "It is not like Nibori-Sama to war-monger, he has always been a noble Lord. More likely he is under attack. The Orochi are a peaceful clan, staying quietly in their dark palaces. They do not shed blood unless provoked."

The sun was rising and the monk and taijiya awoke. Miroku and Sango stretched and yawned. Dark clouds loomed towards the South. Such a strong jyaki had not been felt since the days of Naraku.

"Strange," Miroku joined Inuyasha, "The South is usually so peaceful, I wonder what the disturbance could be."

"Keh, as long as it's not that jerk Naraku everything's all right." sniffed Inuyasha. "I'll settle all that battle lust in a minute. It's been too long since a good battle, who'd have known the Orochi would've been involved in one!" He flexed a clawed hand.

"Inuyasha." Kagome's eyes softened. He hadn't changed after all these years. Sango was preparing breakfast and humming to herself; she was thinking about her two children, Miho and Miru, that were safely with Kaede-bachan and Shippou. She and Miroku had settled down to village life quickly, leaving a lot of the youkai-hunting to Inuyasha and Kagome, but in the last month, when news of bloodshed came from the South, her old Taijiya instincts had come to the fore and she insisted that she and Miroku take a trip with Kagome and Inuyasha, just like in the old days. The South had always been safe, the Orochi were a reasonable and noble tribe, there was no reason to imagine this would be a difficult trip. Her heart beat faster with the old thrill of battle, her taijiya insincts came to fore and she had even polished her hiraikotsu specially for the occasion.

Kagome leaned gently onto Inuyasha who put an arm around her. The two had fallen in love over the years, and though Inuyasha could never quite forget about his past lover Kikyou, he had come to realize that it was important to live for the future, and not for that past. Marriage to Kagome was something he planned to do very soon...Kagome had finally finished university and come to stay in the Sengoku Jidai for good.

"Breakfast!" called Sango. Even after having two children, the twenty eight year-old taijiya was still impossibly slim. Her ninja training kept her in shape and she had already started her children on simple ninja routines.

Breakfast was pancakes that Kagome had brought from home. The instant powder was easy to carry around and had only to be mixed with water and fried to produce delicious blueberry pancakes. Miroku and Inuyasha ate three each in quick succession before Sango had even eaten one. Kagome put a slice of pancake to her lips, fully intending to eat it, but suddenly felt sick. The blueberry smell nauseated her and she put it down quickly.

"Something wrong?" Sango asked, through a mouthful of pancake.

Kagome smiled and shook her head. She tried to take another bite of pancake but found she could not.

"Excuse me!" she gulped as she jumped up and ran into a nearby field.

"What's up with her?" Inuyasha flicked an ear.

"I think you'd better see if she's all right," Miroku advised. Kagome was sitting in the field, face to the sun, fanning herself.

"Keh, all right...I never did understand Kagome and her moods."

Sango and Miroku tidied up the camp and watched as Inuyasha sat beside Kagome in the field. Kagome rested her head on the dog demon's shoulder.

"Aren't they sweet!" sighed Sango. "I wish Inuyasha would hurry up and marry Kagome-chan."

Miroku nodded vigorously in agreement, his hand snaking down towards Sango's pert bum. "Ah yes, almost makes me feel like our dating days again..."

SLAP.

Miroku blinked, a red hand mark across his face. "Yes...much like our dating days, Sango my dear."

Inuyasha and Kagome returned to the group. "Gomen, it was just that the great amount of jyaki towards the South must have upset the shikon power in me." Kagome explained. She still looked wan and pale. "It's hard to purify it with all that evil jyaki around."

Sango and Miroku nodded. Kagome had re-absorbed the shikon jewel once it had been taken from Naraku. She now lived as a miko who was the living shikon-no-tama, a purification process that was fool-proof. Large amounts of jyaki could affect her in strange ways, making it more difficult to purify her aura, though never seriously.

"Look!" Miroku pointed to the sky.

The Inu-tachi looked to where he was pointing. A large black cloud moved swiftly to the South.

"Youkai." said Inuyasha, growling softly. "They're attracted by the blood spilt in the South."

"As are we," said Sango. "Who knows how many Youkai will gather there if the Orochi continue to fight."

"Well, let's get going."

Inuyasha raced off with Kagome on his back and the rest of the Inu-tachi followed closely on Kirara, Sango's demon cat. The landscape got steadily rockier as they went, by mid-day, hardly a green lead could be seen.

"Well, we're at the border of the Western lands." Inuyasha stopped and sniffed the air. "Either he's heading the same way we are or he patrols his lands regularly, that bastard."

"Who are you talking about?" Kagome asked.

"That violent, heartless, enormous snob of a half-brother of mine, Sesshoumaru...who else! This place reeks of him. It's the border of his lands."

"His lands?"

Of course, Kagome knew that Inuyasha's father and half-brother were Lords of the Western Land, but she had never really put that thought into reality. Inu-Taishou and Sesshoumaru's lands...they had marked and protected this territory. They patrolled it. This was the border.

"Yes, HIS stinkin' lands!" Inuyasha spat out, "Like that jerk bastard would share power with a hanyou like me. Not likely! Anyway, let him have his lands, if he likes patrolling borders so much, good for him. He can do all the hard work."

"Does Sesshoumaru have an army?" Sango asked curiously.

"Army?" Inuyasha blinked, "Like that proud git would want somebody to fight for him. Always thinks he's the best...no one does a better job than my bastard half-brother."

"Inuyasha...be nice, Sesshoumaru has been helpful to us in the past. He did help us in that last battle with Naraku" Kagome patted Inuyasha soothingly. She knew how the mere thought of his half-brother was enough to send Inuyasha into a frenzy. Every chance they met, Sesshoumaru never forgot to remind him that he was a worthless half-blood, not fit to carry their father's name, and with pathetic sword technique to boot. These confrontations usually ended with the brothers trying to hack each other to pieces with their fearsome swords until Kagome one was badly wounded or greater foes forced the brothers to fight together.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say helpful," sniffed Inuyasha. "More like HATEFUL, or HARMFUL..."

"Inuyasha..."

"Well, well..." Inuyasha's nose perked up for a second, "What do you know? Sesshoumaru still has that human girl around...what's her name...Rin. Her smell is all over this place, together with that stinking Jaken. One would've thought he'd have killed Rin or dumped her in a village by now."

"I don't think Sesshoumaru would do that to Rin," Kagome said gravely. "He always seemed to care greatly for her."

"Keh, it's unbelievable!" Inuyasha said, "One day he'll get tired of her and toss her away like an old shoe."

"You are too cruel, Inuyasha." Sango scolded gently. "I think we all know how much your brother cares for that little girl. The fact that she's still following him ten years on is something, isn't it?"

Inuyasha sulked as they skipped along. They would reach Nibori-sama's palace soon, perhaps in a day or so, personally, Inuyasha had no doubt that Sesshoumaru was heading the same way. His half-brother would never allow such great bloodshed to take place so close to his own borders without investigation.

"Look at this!" Miroku stopped by a hot spring. The corpses of three men lay on the ground, green poison seeping from wounds in their chests. "This poison...It's Sesshoumaru's attack for sure!"

"Humans are nothing to him, he probably just got annoyed with them," Inuyasha said unconcernedly.

"And look, a comb!" Sango picked up a black ebony comb inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold. The teeth of the comb were small and fine. It was obvious to all of them that it was an expensive and beautiful item.

"I never thought Sesshoumaru was so feminine" said Inuyasha. "That's a lady's comb."

"It must be Rin's, baka!" said Kagome, fingering the fine object carefully. In all her days travelling in the Sengoku Jidai, she had rarely seen an artifact as fine as this. Sometimes, when they stayed at a nobleman's house, she had seen princesses having their hair combed by maidservants using combs of this quality. "He must really care about her a lot to give her such a fine comb." she said, voicing all their thoughts.

Inuyasha gave a loud sniff. "Yes, it smells just like that human brat. And, but no..." Inuyasha sniffed again and then went quiet.

"What?" Kagome, Sango and Miroku looked at him curiously.

Inuyasha looked confused. "It smells like the sea, like Chichiue's palace. Sesshoumaru must have brought Rin to the palace."

"The palace?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Chichiue had a huge palace that my mother and I stayed in when I was young...but Sesshoumaru threw me out after my mother died. He said I had to fend for myself, that bastard. He said he would never let another human step into the palace ever again."

"Maybe he simply brought the comb from the palace to give to her?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "The smell is so strong, this long brown hair caught in the tooth..." he plucked it out, "smells like the sea too. Rin must have been living there for a long time...Oy, Kagome, Sango, what's up with you?"

Kagome and Sango had a silly grins on their faces.

"To think..." started Kagome.

"That Sesshoumaru..." said Sango.

"And that little girl..."

"Would be so sweet..."

"KAWAII!" they said in unison.

Inuyasha retched in disgust. His half-brother? KAWAII? That would be the day. Those women clearly had not seen Sesshoumaru for so long they had forgotten what he was really like.

"May I remind you that 'kawaii Sesshoumaru' has tried to kill me on at least 10 occasions, Miroku on three, Sango on two and Kagome on one? That he slaughtered these three hapless shits lying dead by our feet as we talk? That other demons fear him so much they shit their pants when he so much as coughs?" Inuyasha was working himself up to a rage again.

Kagome slipped the comb into her kimono. "We'll return this to Rin when we see her, that little girl will need something to comb her hair. I'm sure she misses her comb."

"Keh!" Inuyasha snatched up Kagome onto his back. "Let's get going...we're wasting time here!"


	4. Chapter 4: Delicate Fingers

**Chapter 4: Delicate Fingers**

Rin felt in all her pockets. Her comb! It was gone! She ran to the pack on Ah-Un, undid the knot, and searched through it frantically...soap, herbs, cloths...no comb. She must have dropped it at the warm spring last night after those three men had approached her.

"Rin, what is the matter?" Sesshoumaru wondered why the girl was so fidgety.

"Gomenasai Sesshoumaru-sama...I have lost my ebony comb! I must have dropped it at the warm spring last night after the disturbance." The girl looked upset.

"Foolish, careless girl!" scolded Jaken at once, "That is a family heirloom worth hundreds of pieces of silver! It was made by fine youkai craftsmen on Mt Fuji! I always said it was a mistake to give such nice things to this ningen brat!"

Tears came to Rin's eyes. A family heirloom! Why didn't anyone tell her! How could she have lost it?

"Gomenasai Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin didn't know it was so precious! Rin will run back this instant to find it!" Rin brushed the tears from her eyes and turned back.

"Rin."

"Nani, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"After I gave it to you, it became your comb. You do not owe it to anyone to find it."

Rin halted, confused. "B-But Rin misses that beautiful comb. It was her only comb."

"This Sesshoumaru will give you another comb when we return to the palace."

Jaken squawked internally. Such indulgence! Such pampering of the brat!

"A-Are you sure it's all right, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Hai."

"How will Rin comb her hair till then?" Rin ran her fingers through her waist length brown hair, which had come out of her purple ribbon. It was soft and silky and fell around her like a mantle, making Sesshoumaru catch his breath.

Rin chattered on.

"Rin wants to look beautiful for you, Sesshoumaru-sama. Like the flowers, and the moon, and the snow..."

"Vain girl!" shrieked Jaken. "As if Sesshoumaru would find you beautiful!"

"But Jaken-sama, last night..."

"Jaken will comb your hair every night." Sesshoumaru interrupted her. "He will undo the knots with his fingers."

Jaken squawked in annoyance at this task. The girl had such thick, long hair...it would take him ages!

"And if you pull one strand too hard and hurts her, rest assured that I will know, understand, Jaken?"

"Aaawk! Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Rin clapped her hands with joy. This was just like when she was young, Jaken would pluck the knots out her hair for her.

"Arigatou, Jaken-sama" Rin said patting the toad on the head, "I will catch you a mudskipper whenever we reach a pond in gratitude!"

Jaken's eyes lit up at the prospect of is favourite fish every night. "Hmph!"

"Be quiet, we are nearing the palace."

Sesshoumaru's companions obeyed him without hesitation. In silence, the party journeyed on. Sesshoumaru lifted his nose in the air.

Blood.

So much blood.

The smell was faint in the air two days back, but here, it was thick and foul. Jaken must have smelled it too, the little green toad began to sweat and moved protectively closer to Rin.

Rin hugged her arms to her chest as she followed silently behind Sesshoumaru. She didn't like this place. It wasn't like the Western Lands at all. The Western Lands were always green and lush, birds sang and villagers shouted to each other in the fields. Sometimes she could see ningen children playing games. Although she had no desire to join them, she liked to watch them from a distance. Here, the land was dry and lifeless. A cold wind blew in the air and smoke rose from the distance. The smell of the smoke wasn't like the pleasant woodfires of human habitation which always brought the delicious smell of fish and rice to her nose, this smoke was harsh, bitter, and made tears form in her eyes. With it was the smell of decay and blood.

No wonder Sesshoumaru-sama never came to the South. This Nibori-sama must be a very careless Tai-youkai to let his lands fall into such a state. She thought proudly of her Sesshoumaru-sama: how he would relentlessly patrol his lands, killing rogue youkai and any bandits who threatened his lordship. She knew that Sesshoumaru particularly disliked bandits, his eyes would turn red when he killed them. Rin was glad. She hated bandits too, her whole family had been killed by bandits when she was six. Sesshoumaru-sama had found her a year later, mute, beaten, malnourished, and he had looked after her. Rin glanced at the back of the Tai-youkai. It was a familiar sight. Once, she had only been level with his knees, now fully frown, she reached up to the middle of his back.

He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. More beautiful than the moon, or the flowers, or the snow. His white hair trailed down his back, his movements were strong and lithe. She could see the tip of one pointed ear beneath his hair. She took a deep breath, smelling the comforting sea-scent of Sesshoumaru-sama, it was much preferred to the smell of death that surrounded them. She would be with him, forever, Rin told herself fiercely.

When she was younger, Jaken-sama had told her that demons lived much longer than humans. A hundred years was nothing to them, but she would be dead and gone by then. Stupid Jaken. Rin had no doubt that Sesshoumaru would protect her from death itself... he could do anything, her Sesshoumaru-sama! At first, she had been afraid she was growing old when her body started changing. Her breasts grew full and round and her legs lengthened. Then the monthly bleeding began. Was this old age or death? But Kyoko-chan, a fox demon servant at the Western Palace, had explained to her that this was not old-age, but youth. Rin was now a young woman.

For many years, no more changes had come to her body. Maybe she was immortal after all! Her figure remained full and rounded, her monthly cycles never changed...Rin had no concept of time or eternity. She believed she could continue like this forever. She was happy like this. She was now strong enough to look after herself properly. Her taller height and new strength allowed her to run faster, dig deeper, swim better, walk further. Best of all, Sesshoumaru-sama now spoke to her more often and more seriously. As a child, he was kind to her, but awkward and distant. Now that she was grown, they would spend hours in each other's company...he would teach her to write, or read, or the names of things around her, and as was becoming more often, would talk with her at length about his thoughts and plans.

On winter days, they would sit side by side in his garden as they used to...and though she still enjoyed building snowmen, what gave her more pleasure now was listening to Seshoumaru-sama recite poetry about the season. Last winter, he had come to her room one evening when she was reading alone, and stood in her doorway.

"Nani, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The dog demon was silent for a few minutes before speaking. "It would be good for you to learn to play the shamisen. Kyoko can teach you."

"I would love to, but, may I ask why this sudden request, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"This Sesshoumaru-sama misses the music in the palace."

"Who used to play here, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He was silent again for a while. "My mother was the best shamisen player in the Western Lands before she died."

The next day a beautiful rosewood and gold shamisen was delivered to her room by an ecstatic Kyoko.

"This is the most beautiful shamisen I have ever seen!" screamed the fox-demon in delight. The kitsune ran her hands over the strings as Rin touched it gingerly. "Go on, touch it! It's yours! Lord Sesshoumaru ordered it specially for you six months ago, but I was not allowed to say anything as it was meant to be a surprise! I can hardly believe it's here at last. Those craftsmen must have worked day and night on it!"

"Oh Kyoko-chan...I must go and thank Sesshoumaru-sama at once!" Rin felt tears come to her eyes.

"Yes, yes...hurry and come back then we can begin your first lesson. I can only teach you the basics, then you must go to a better teacher after that!"

Rin gathered up her kimono skirt and ran from the room, her white socked feet flying over the tatami mats. She found him in the main hall, writing on a scroll. Out of breath and red in the face, she threw herself at his feet and bowed deeply.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I am so deeply honoured by your beautiful gift! Arigatou gozaimsu! Arigatou gozaimasu!"

Sesshoumaru-sama put his brush down and took her small fingers in his.

"Prove it by learning to play. Your fingers are slim and delicate, I can already hear the music coming from them." He held on a moment longer than usual. "I have been thinking for some time that you would be a good shamisen player. Your delicate fingers are just like my mother's"

Rin felt a surge of happiness at the memory of his warm hands on hers. Her Sesshoumaru-sama cared for her. She would be with him forever.

She stepped on something soft...Jaken's foot.

"AAAWK....Rin! Why are you staring at your hands and not watching your step?"

Jaken's harsh voice cut into her thoughts.

Rin stuffed her hands into her the folds of her kimono and stuck her tongue out at Jaken.

"Jaken no baka."

"I told you two to be QUIET." Sesshoumaru-sama growled. The foul stench of blood and death were more than he could bear now, they were close to something terrible.

Rin gasped as she saw the hair begin to stand around the ears of her master. Something had put him on high alert. They were at the crest of a hill, Rin ran to the edge and lay flat on her back to look over.

The sight made her want to vomit.

Orochi and youkai bodies were strewn across the valley, many were already rotting. It was a battlefield that was a few months old at least. It was heaped with bodies. No one had bothered to bury the dead. The wind blew the stench over to them and Jaken put a hand over his nose.

"Jaken, take Rin and stay among the caves and rocks behind us. I will go on alone from here."

"H-Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Rin's knees felt weak as she wobbled to her feet. She felt her gut heave.

"Come, Rin" Jaken said gruffly as he gently pulled her hand towards Ah-Un.

"Sesshoumaru-sama...abunai. Be careful."

Sesshoumaru gave the faintest of nods. With a flash, he surrounded himself with light energy and flew off across the battlefield. It was a flashy and unsafe way to travel, using up that much jyaki called lots of attention to himself so he only traveled that way when in a hurry. Rin knew that he was very concerned about the situation.

She followed Jaken and Ah-Un away from the hill crest back to the low shrubs and rocks. They found a small cave to shelter in. Night was falling.

Rin began to shiver.

"Silly girl, keep warm!" Jaken used his staff to light a bundle of firewood in front of her. If anything happened to Rin, he knew Sesshoumaru-sama would be most displeased with him. "Now turn around and let me unknot that messy human hair of yours!"

Rin sat patiently as Jaken's fingers quickly combed through her hair.

"Jaken-sama...all those bodies...what do you think happened?"

"A terrible battle, what else?"

"But why? I thought the Orochi were peaceful youkai, who would want to attack them, or why would they want to attack?"

Jaken gave her a sly look. "Never underestimate the nature of youkai, Rin. Even peaceful youkai can't be trusted."

"But I can trust you, right Jaken-sama?" Rin huddled close to the little toad.

"Aawk? Of course, you baka!" Jaken looked surprised. "I didn't me, or Sesshoumaru-sama! Stupid girl."

Rin grinned at him. In the firelight, she looked at her fingers again. She mimicked playing the shamisen in the air. The very first song she learned properly, she would play for Sesshoumaru-sama.

"What are you doing girl? You were doing the same thing earlier."

"I was trying to remember my shamisen training, Jaken-sama. That's all."

"Hmpf." Jaken swallowed his vegetables in a large mouthful before he spoke again. "Akemi-sama was the best shamisen player in the West. It was her beautiful playing that made Inutaisho interested in her. That, and her great beauty."

"Akemi-sama?" Rin asked, "Who was that?"

"Sesshoumaru's mother, of course. Yes, her playing could bring tears to your eyes."

"What was she like?"

"Eh? Akemi-sama? Well, she was also a inu-youkai, one of the last females of the line. She had long blue hair and golden eyes..."

"No Jaken-sama, I mean what was she like as a person?"

"Oh! Well, Akemi-sama was as different from Sesshoumaru as possible. She was always laughing, singing and dancing. She made everyone smile just to be near her. Her voice was sweet, soft and never raised in anger. She was very a kind youkai, even insisting on protecting humans."

"Why does Sesshoumaru never speak of his mother, Jaken-sama?"

Jaken sighed. "Akemi-sama died a tragic death when Sesshoumaru-sama was very young. She died trying to save him from a terrible fire in the palace when your father was away. She covered his body with her own, you might say she burned to death right in front of his eyes." Jaken sniffed dramatically. "If Inutaisho had been at home, all might have been different...but he was far away. Akemi-sama had insisted he visit his human villages on the east border, to try to relieve the hardship the poor crop that year had brought to the humans."

"That's why Sesshoumaru hates humans." Rin said matter-of-factly.

"I suppose," Jaken said. "In his eyes, Akemi-sama was the ideal woman. Izayoi, Iuyasha's human mother, paled in comparison to her."

"Well, I'm not too fond of humans myself." Rin said suddenly, "My whole family was slaughtered by them. Mother, father, brother..."

"Stupid girl, you yourself are human! One day you will be married to a human and go to live with them."

Rin gave a start.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

Jaken beat her lightly with his staff. "Yes, yes yes! You will be married, no doubt Sesshoumaru-sama will have you married well to a local lord or head-man, and you will have ningen brats of your own!"

"NO!" Rin was shouting now. "I am going to stay with Sesshoumaru-sama forever!"

"Well, don't think that Sesshoumaru-sama will let your husband stay with us, he's already been uncommonly tolerant letting you into the palace!"

"I DON'T WANT A HUSBAND!" Rin felt tears sting her eyes. "Don't you understand, Jaken? I just want to stay with Sesshoumaru-sama forever, whatever it takes!"

"That's what you say now." Jaken sighed, "One day a handsome boy will come along who will turn your head and it'll be goodbye to old Jaken-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama."

"There's no one as handsome as Sesshoumaru-sama. No one." Rin whispered fiercely, and felt herself start to flush.

Jaken gave her a curious look.

"Aaak...Rin, what are you saying?"

"I'm tired, Jaken-sama. I'm going to sleep."

Rin turned her back on him and curled into a ball.

Jaken eyed her still form for a few minutes. The girl didn't look restful or asleep. Suddenly, she spoke again, "Sesshoumaru-sama said my fingers were just like his mother's. Good night, Jaken-sama."

Watching Rin's slim frame curled in the darkness, Jaken couldn't stop thinking how much she reminded him of Akemi-sama. Why hadn't he noticed it before?

There was a rustle outside the cave. "Found her."


	5. Chapter 5: Bait

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 5: Bait**

Sesshoumaru stood at the foot of the hill leading to Nibori-sama's palace. How the place had changed in the last forty years. Once verdant, the lands around him were scorched with fire and soaked with blood. This scale of bloodshed reminded Sesshoumaru of the great battles in his father's time, when the tai-youkai fought amongst themselves for power and land. But that was all in the past, what misfortune had befallen Nibori-sama to bring him to this unhappy pass?

"Halt. Who goes there?"

Sesshoumaru looked up. Above him, on a parapet of the castle, stood two frightened looking Orochi guards. One had his arm in a sling.

"This Seshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, seeks audience with Nibori-sama, Lord of the South."

The guards looked taken aback. They had heard much of the power of the Lord of the Western Lands. In the South, his prowess and skill had reached near-legendary proportions. It was said he carried swords of life and death at his side, that he killed so fast you wouldn't even realize you were dead, that his palace was crafted by heavenly craftsmen so it was one of the marvels of Japan. And this Lord now stood in front of them, his silver hair blowing in the wind, his armour shining in the sun. The Orochi guards trembled when they saw the two swords by his side.

"N-Nibori-sama is not well, much misfortune has come to our lands. But we will ask Mahoumaru and Nissho-sama if you may have audience with them, for they rules as regent in these troubled times." The guard with his arm in a sling spoke rapidly and retreated within the castle, presumably to inform Mahoumaru and Nissho-sama of Sesshoumaru's presence.

"Mahoumaru?"

"Hai, Mahoumaru is Nibori-sama's faithful advisor. He is youkai of great wisdom and kindness and he arrived just when Nibori-sama began falling ill and the people rose against him. Were it not for Mahoumaru, we Orochi would have been decimated by plagues of humans and lesser youkai."

"Why does Nibori-sama have need of an advisor? Does not his son take his place when he is ill?"

The guard shook his head.

"Nissho-sama trusts Mahoumaru implicitly. In fact, it was he who persuaded his father to hand over governance to Mahoumaru."

Sesshoumaru frowned. Something wasn't right. He wondered if this Mahoumaru sought to weaken the Orochi clan from within and snatch control of the South in an internal coup. It wouldn't be unheard of, such intrigues. He would like to meet this Mahoumaru. From what he heard, he didn't trust him already.

"Mahoumaru and Nissho-sama will will meet with Sesshoumaru-sama in the grand hall." The other guard re-appeared. "Open the gates and let him pass!"

From somwhere within, a great grinding and crunching of levers could be heard. The large gates of the palace compound swung open and Sesshoumaru walked through. Ranks of Orochi guards lingered in the compound. Many were wounded in some way or another. It seemed they were getting ready for another battle, some of the Orochi were sharpening weapons on a whetstone, others were re-stringing bows. All of them had a tired look. As he passed by them, they stopped and stared at him, a look of awe on their faces.

The memory of the place still fresh in his mind, Sesshoumaru walked unhesitatingly in the direction of the great hall. It was evening and the braziers had been lit so that the great hall danced with shadows.

"Enter, Sesshoumaru-sama, Lord of the Western Lands." a thin voice broke through the gloom. It was a voice that he had never heard before.

The darkness was no hindrance to Sesshoumaru's vision, his youkai eyes could see perfectly well in the dark as well as the light. As he approached the main seats in the hall, he could make out two figures, one seated on the Lord's Chair, the other standing beside him. The seated figure was young and handsome, a teenage Orochi prince in ceremonial armour. No doubt this was Nibori-sama's son Nissho. The figure standing beside him was dressed in a soft grey cloak with a hood that covered his face. Sesshoumary felt at once that if he could see that face, he would not find it pleasing.

"Why have you come?" spoke the seated figure. The deep voice was a young Orochi voice.

"Nissho-sama," Sesshoumaru acknowledged him before speaking, "You have allowed blood to be shed too close my borders."

"Why should that be of concern to you?"

"This blood is massive. It is a war. All wars are of concern to me."

The figure standing by Nissho's side whispered something to him and Nissho-nodded.

"Mahoumaru, my trusted advisor, has advised me to ask for your aid in ending these wars. The humans and lesser youkai in the South have risen against our House, for apparently no reason. If they defeat us, they plan to continue their onslaught to the West. It is in your interests to help us."

Mahoumaru whispered into Nissho's ear again.

"Mahoumaru tells me that he respects you greatly, that he is humbled before you."

"I am not interested in what he thinks" Sesshoumaru answered, in his usual manner.

The grey-clad figure twitched, in annoyance.

"Where is your father, Nissho-sama? I did not come to speak with the Prince, much less the Prince's advisor. I come to speak to Nibori-Sama, Lord of the Southern Lands."

The young Orochi looked irritated at Sesshoumaru's reminder that he was not the Lord.

"My father is gravely ill. No one may see him."

Sesshoumaru became aware of an oppressive atmosphere and a horridly familiar smell. As fast as it came to him, it dissipated.

"Then I will not aid you. I have no business here." Sesshoumaru turned. "It is strange that your troubles started when Mahoumaru became your advisor."

A high squeal stopped Sesshoumaru in his tracks.

"Sessshoumaru-ssssama..." the grey cloaked figure spoke in a high, clear, voice. "Perhapsss meeting with Nibori-sama will put your mind at rest. I am innossssent of what you accuse me of. I have the welfare of the Orochi at heart. You ssssee, Nibori-sama conjured me up himself to act as his servant. I am his creation, I respond to his will."

Sesshoumaru turned and looked directly at the grey-clad figure. It removed its cloak and, staring at Sesshoumaru, was the face of ...Nibori-sama.

"I and Nibori-sama are alike. When he felt he was growing weak and feeble, he conjured me up to preserve his vitality and thoughts in a spectre that could move around freely and without harm. He himself is bed-ridden and weak. Go to sssseee for yourself."

Nissho stood. "Sesshoumaru-sama, much as I dislike your arrogance, I trust Mahoumaru when he says that we need your help to overcome this harship we face. For eight years we have been fighting onslaught after onslaught of lesser youkai and humans. Our lands are wasted, our rivers run dry, our fields are empty. Come to speak with father, you are our only hope."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Nissho's tone sounded sincere but his words were too much like rehearsed flattery. Sesshoumaru was wary of false flattery, he had received too much of it in his life. Still, Nibori-sama had always been peaceful and noble, and a great friend of his father's. If what Nissho said was true...

"I will see Nibori-sama before I decide."

Furthermore, he wanted to know Mahoumaru's true nature... how could Nibori-sama have conjured such a terrible spectre? It certainly had his face, but not his aura at all. There was something dreadful and familiar about Mahoumaru's jyaki...but with the overwhelming amount of jyaki in the air from the massive amount of bloodshed around the palace, even Sesshoumaru's keen senses could not distinguish what it was about Mahoumaru's jyaki that was so disturbing.

"Thissss way," Mahoumaru replaced the hood of his cloak and together with Nissho-sama, exited the grand hall through a side door. Sesshoumaru followed in silence.

They passed through numerous passageways and gardens before arriving at a sumptuous chamber. Nissho drew back the screen door.

"Chichiue, Sesshoumaru-sama, Lord of the Western Lands has come to see you."

"Show him in," came a weak voice.

Sesshoumaru entered the chamber. Before him, lying on a grand raised futon, was the prone figure of Nibori-sama. Although weakened and thin, the tai-youkai's aura was still strong and peaceful. Sesshoumaru was satisfied that this was Nibori-sama in the flesh.

"Sesshoumaru-sama....son of Inutaisho. You haven't changed at all, life has been good to you."

"Greetings, Nibori-sama. How long have you been ill?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"For too long, Sesshoumaru-sama." Nibori-sama cleared his throat, "I do not know what this malady is. It comes and goes, like fits. Sometimes it lasts for days and I lose all awareness of things around me and my son tells me I was close to death. But at other times I am all right for weeks on end."

"Fits?"

"Hai, it feels like my body resists my own will. Something rots it from within. No doctor, youkai or human, can cure me. To think, I, a Tai-youkai, would be reduced to this...bed-ridden and weak like an old ningen man!"

Sesshoumaru pitited the pathetic form of the once-proud tai-youkai before him. "Let's not waste time, you know what brought me here."

Nibori-sama grimaced.

"I am sorry so much blood has been spilt near your borders. My Orochi, they are beseiged often by foes. We cannot seem to stop them, they attack for no reason. For centuries we have lived in peace with them...now, they turn against us."

"Do not work yourself up, chichiue." Nissho-sama said gently.

"Yesss, my lord. I am here to do your will." Mahoumaru said gently. Sesshoumaru eyed him with distaste...that familiar, unplaceable jyaki emanating from him was stronger now that they were all in the same room.

"How did you conjure Mahoumaru?" Sesshoumaru asked Nibori-sama point blank.

"A passing witch possessed a powerful magic kagami capable of distilling the soul. My fits were getting worse and I did not trust myself to heal properly again so I accepted her offer to keep my mind and will alive in a spectral form. She performed a spell...it was cheap, it cost me two hundred pieces of silver."

"A youkai should not trust in human witchery." Sesshoumaru stated.

Nibori-sama closed his eyes and sighed, "Have you ever felt true desperation, Sesshoumaru-sama? If you had felt as desperate as I did, you would have turned to anyone for help."

"Nissho-sama! Mahoumaru!" shouts came from outside. "We are being attacked again!

"Chikuso!" Nissho-sama cursed. "Our Orochi have not healed properly from the last onslaught!"

"Mahoumaru, Nissho-sama...please deal with it." Nibori-sama said tiredly. "See if Sesshoumaru-sama will help this time."

Sesshoumaru followed Mahoumaru and Nissho to the walls of the palace. He felt more and more uncomfortable about something. There seemed a logical explanation for everything, and yet, everything seemed wrong.

"Look, here they come!"

A wave of lesser youkai hit the palace, spitting shouki and fire at the Orochi. Arrows and spears flew. The Orochi attacked with their youkai venom, spitting it high into the air. Sesshoumaru observed Nissho-sama take down five lesser youkai with one blow of his sword. Mahoumaru stood in the shadows, calling instructions to the other Orochi. Many Orochi were unfortunate to get snapped up in the jaws of the flying youkai...

Nissho-sama's blows began to look desperate, and yet, the youkai came. "Sesshoumaru! It is fortunate you arrived today! This is the most terrible onslaught yet!" the young Orochi prince shouted.

Sesshoumaru's toukijin blade was already in his hand. Again and again he cut at the lesser youkai, but their number was amazing. Powerful as toukijin was, its strength wasn't against numbers...for that he would need his brother's sword Tessaiga which could take down a hundred at a blow. Still, he used Toukijin to great effect, slaying the youkai systematically and swiftly. More than once he had to stop his campaign against the youkai attacking him simply to free Nissho from some impossible predicament.

Nissho gasped as Sesshoumaru's sword force killed a youkai about to snap off his head. As it was, Nissho's hair was still in the mouth of the dead youkai. He realised that were it not for Sesshoumaru's aid, this would have been his last battle. Never had they faced an onsalught like this! It seemed the lesser youkai had been saving up all their numbers for today! He owed Sesshoumaru his life.

To his side, Nissho called his Orochi guards to his aid, "They are attacking Sesshoumaru-sama, stop your fights and help him!"

Yes, there was no doubt about it, the lesser youkai had found their target. They appeared to be attacking him. Sesshoumaru switched attacks, surrrounding himself with the green energy of his poison whip.

With the Orochi helping him, the fight seemed to be going better, till the agonized screams began. One by one, the Orochi guards dropped their weapons and clutched their heads. Blood began pouring from their eyes, ears and noses and they collapsed like flies around him.

Nissho stared in horror at his men. "Mahoumaru! What is happening?"

But Mahoumaru did not answer the young prince as he stood to one side, hands raised as if in prayer, a strange chanting coming from him. The sheer volume of lesser youkai was beginning to tire Sesshoumaru-sama out...he gasped and fell to his knees as one of the lesser youkai took a bite at his shoulder...

"Mahoumaru!" Nissho yelled again. Mahoumaru's evil jyaki was growing...

Sesshoumaru needed no further evidence that Mahoumaru was the cause of all the troubles of the South. It was clear that his chanting was responsible for the grisly deaths of the Orochi guards, and the increased attacks by the youkai. With a turn, he plunged his poison whip into Mahoumaru's chest. Mahoumaru let out a wail and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"What are you doing!" Nissho-sama sprang at Sesshoumaru and tried to restrain his arm. "You have killed our advisor!"

Their attention was distracted by a joyous shout to the left: "They are fleeing West! We've won, that's where they go to die!" a surviving Orochi guard cried.

Sesshoumaru watched as the lesser youkai flew towards the West, many of their number dropping dead of wounds along the way. Those that did not die would die soon. In a flash, Sesshoumaru recalled the battlefield that he had seen with Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un.

It was not a battlefield at all, it was a graveyard.

It was a graveyard that was piled with thousands of bodies near his Western border so that it would give off that terrible stench of blood.

It was bait that would attract any youkai with a sensitive nose.

Sesshoumaru knew now, that it was bait meant for _him_. The pain in his shoulder was incredible. The jyaki from the bite of the lesser youkai was more terrible than he had imagined possible, it was infused with some foul jyaki of a higher order. Gripping his shoulder, he raised his head only to see a cloud of smoke re-form itself into the body of Mahoumaru.

"Too late!" a high voice shrieked in the air above Sesshoumaru and Nissho-sama. "I have succeeded! You are within our power!"

Nissho-sama stood in front of Sesshoumaru, sword in hand.

"Mahoumaru! You traitor!" The young Orochi prince screamed in frustration. "Father trusted you! I trusted you!"

The grey clad figure hung suspended in the air. Sesshoumaru tried to raise his sword arm but the fight with the youkai had weakened him too much. Humiliated and furious, he struggled to his feet. Mahoumaru was chanting again and hordes of youkai appeared from thin air.

"It was you! You conjured them!" Nissho screamed in bitter realisation as he raised his sword and prepared to defend Sesshoumaru with his own life, he owed it to Sesshoumaru who minutes ago, had saved his.

A trick. All a trick. There was a bitter anger in Sesshoumaru's mouth.

To his horror, Nissho suddenly collapsed at his feet, an arrow through his chest.

"Chichiue..."

A few feet from Nissho's dying form, Nibori-sama emerged from the palace, his eyes blank, a bow in his hand.

"Chichiue..."

Nissho's dying face was something Sesshoumaru would find hard to forget. But there was something else here now...some new treachery...What evil had possessed Nibori-sama to make him kill his only son? Now the place began to stink of a familiar evil jyaki, and it came from Nibori-sama.

Mahoumaru floated over to join Nibori-sama.

"Sesshoumaru..." Nibori-sama spoke in an unfamiliar and raspy voice. "You have come exactly where we wanted you too come. We knew that no cordial invitation nor plea of help would bring you here. Such is your cleverness that any direct invitation to you would rouse your suspicion. Such is your pride that the only thing that would bring you forth is a threat to your lands. So we set an elaborate trap to lure you here, a terrible conflict, seemingly close to your borders, but nothing to do with you...how could you resist?" Nibori-sama laughed with that disgusting raspy voice. "Now that you are here, we can do business."

"Business?" The tai-youkai sneered. If there was one thing Sesshoumaru hated more in the world than being used, it was being tricked. "Nibori-sama, you are possessed by some evil spirit...do you kill your own son simply to do business with me?"

A little white figure appeared behind Nibori-sama.

Kanna.

Naraku's most faithful attachment walked forth, her magic mirror held aloft in her hands. In ten years, she hadn't aged at all, but that was not unusual for a detachment with no true life of her own. Sesshoumaru knew he had been right about the familiar jyaki...It had been Naraku. It was always Naraku.

"Business," repeated Nibori-sama slyly.

"A trade," Mahoumaru said. His grey cloaked form swirled about him, concealing nothingness. The darkness within had no face now, it did not resemble Nibori-sama any more, this was his true form...illusion and nothingness.

"See." Kanna whispered.

Sesshoumaru looked into the kagami. Rin's face stared out at him, her face was tear-stained but she looked unharmed. He couldn't make out what was behind her, it was too dark. Slowly, the mirror image pulled away from her so more was revealed of her body. Her wrists were fastened by iron chains above her head as she hung pitifully in some stone room. Her cream kimono was shredded and torn revealing much of her milk-white flesh. Sesshoumaru's vision flooded with red.

"Your little Rin isn't so little anymore, is she, Sesshoumaru? We haven't harmed her yet." Nibori-sama rasped, "We are prepared to be fair."

"Give us Tensssseiga." Mahoumaru urged. "That'sssss all we want."

Sesshoumaru put his hand protectively on his father's old sword.

He had been tricked.

He was caught in an impasse.

They probably wanted Tenseiga for reviving Naraku, which would be catastrophic. He couldn't let that happen...but then, Rin might die today. However, there was still a chance he could defeat these three in front of him...Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, he couldn't afford to lose this one. Yet, they had weakened him significantly by the earlier youkai attacks, they knew they had the upper hand...what if he failed to defeat them?

They had Rin...if any of them got away alive, they would probably kill her... Sesshoumaru's knuckles crackled with energy, readying for his attack... But still he hesitated. If he lost, Rin might die today. And they would take Tenseiga from him anyway.

For the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru doubted himself.

Rin might die today.

"KAZE NO KIZUUUUUUUU!"


	6. Chapter 6: Something Precious

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 6: Something Precious**

Inuyasha sent the enormous force of Tessaiga's wind-scar attack toward Nibori-sama, Kanna and Mahoumaru, missing Sesshoumaru's figure by inches.

Knowing that time for decision making was up, Sesshoumaru leapt into the air, releasing Soryuuha at Naraku's rapidly disintegrating minions.

When the attacks cleared, the half-brothers searched for the bodies in the dust, but none were there! There was no way they could have withstood the combined attack, their bodies had disintegrated before their eyes!

"Inuyasha!" a familiar female voice cut through the night.

Sesshoumaru turned to see the figure of Kagome, his brother's woman, pointing behind them.

Mahoumaru laughed as he, Kanna and Nibori-sama reformed in a differentg part of the palace compound.

"It is not their real form!" Miroku shouted as he and Sango ran to join the fray. The monk took out a sheaf of talismans and threw them at the figures. They shimmered for a moment before disappearing, leaving the talismans blowing in the wind. "They have hidden themselves well, even their shouki is masked."

This was all going wrong! Naraku's minions had out-smarted him! Sesshoumaru clutched his shoulder, and began to growl. Rin. They had Rin, and he had wasted his one chance to kill her captors!

"Inuyasha, you great fool!" he hissed.

"I saved your ass, you jerk!" Inuyasha rounded on his half-brother. "With that wound in your shoulder, you don't think you would have gotten very far, do you?"

"You have no idea what's going on here, I suggest you don't interfere."

Inuyasha backed away from his half brother. He recognized all the danger-signals of Sesshoumaru becoming consumed with rage. His half-brother's eyes were burning red, his jaw extended and filled with sharp teeth, his height taller than usual.

"Keh, I knew enough about what was going on! You were just standing there bleeding in front of Naraku's three little shits, they could have taken you out in a blink of an eye...and if you had stared into that fuckin' mirror too long, you would have lost your soul, do you know that? That kagami is some sort of shit magical device!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome ran towards him, her bow and arrow in her hands, "Sesshoumaru." She acknowledged his half-brother's presence but kept her distance as the tai-youkai was still in half-demonic form.

With a cry of concern, she noted the severe wound in the shoulder of his remaining arm. "You're really badly hurt!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes returned to their usual deep gold and his jaw shortened. He looked over the Inu-tachi who had gathered and turned his back on them.

"I don't have time to stay here chatting with you." With that, he turned into a ball of light and flew away.

"What's his problem?" Inuyasha growled. "Keh, his fighting powers must have lessened for him to get that wound..."

"It looked like a very unfair battle," Miroku said, glancing around at the pile of youkai and orochi bodies in the palace compound. "Sesshoumaru was pretty badly wounded, he must have fought to defend the Orochi against thousands of youkai. We've not seen so many youkai since...since..."

"Since Naraku's time" Sango said bitterly. "That was Kanna, his last surviving minion...and two other youkai we've not seen before."

"One was an Orochi, I'm sure" Inuyasha said. "He looked like an Orochi Lord, probably Nibori-sama who owns this palace. Why on earth was he on Naraku's side?"

A groan at their feet distracted them from their discussion.

"A survivor!" Kagome ran over to the injured Orochi and dropped to her knees beside him. A large, iron, arrow pierced the Orochi's heart...he was clearly some sort of prince, by the look of his fine armour.

"I...am...Nissho, son of Nibori....sama..." Nissho wheezed, blood spilling from his lips.

Inuyasha looked on in surprise...the prince of the Lord of the Western lands, dying?

"Ssshh, don't speak, we'll get you healed." Kagome soothed.

"Too....late...for me." The Orochi closed his eyes and heaved another bloody breath. Some spattered onto Kagome's yukata, but the kind and brave miko did not flinch. "A...trap..." he continued, "All were tricked...chichiue...is...possessed. They lured Sesshoumaru-sama here with...blood...our blood...they wanted t...t...tenseiga."

"Tenseiga?" Sango exclaimed.

"Ssshh" Kagome scolded, "He is not finished!"

"...they...kidnapped someone..." Nissho-sama saw a bright light before him. It seemed too much effort to continue speaking, it seemed so much easier to let himself rest in that light. But he had much to repay to Sesshoumaru-sama and his people, his Orochi had been used by Mahoumaru to trap Sesshoumaru at the cost of their own blood. His own chichiue possessed by an evil spirit! He had heard all this as he lay dying by Sesshoumaru's feet. He also knew they had kidnapped Sesshoumaru's 'little girl'...he must let them know....Someone was shaking him.

"Who!" Inuyasha demanded roughly, "You kept alive to give us information, so dammit give it before dying."

Nissho wheezed blood again. Kagome smoothed his face with her hands. The Orochi was nearly dead.

"They...called...her...Rin..."

With that last sentence, Nissho slumped in Kagome's arms, and Kagome knew that he had told them all he wanted to.

"Rin!" Inuyasha sniffed, "That girl is more trouble than she's worth!"

"No wonder Sesshoumaru looked so angry," Kagome said. "All this well-planned trickery and using of people, it's classic Naraku strategy."

Sango felt her heart tighten at the memory of Kohaku's last fight with Naraku. How Kohaku had given up the shikon shard to Kagome at the expense of his life. Now that bastard was back!

"But my kazaana is still closed." Miroku said, his eyes knotted in puzzlement. He removed his rosary and covering to check on his hand. "Surely if Naraku had returned, it would re-open." Even though he did not need to bind his hand any longer, it was habit that made him wear the rosary. An insecurity he never got rid of.

"Yes, that's strange" said Sango. "Kanna being alive is no surprise... but who were the others? And this whole place stinks of some shouki that is like Naraku's and yet isn't!"

"Weren't you listening?" Inuyasha folded his arms and sighed, "Those minions were after Tenseiga...think, what use would Naraku have for my half-brother's sword?"

"Tenseiga can revive the dead." Kagome said quietly. "But why wait so long?"

"I have no idea! Do I look like a fricken' encyclopedia on Naraku or something?"

"Well, we have it half figured out," Miroku said, "Clearly Naraku is controlling his minions through his ghost...his shiryou must have possessed that Orochi Lord, who I assume is Nibori-sama. His shiryou is weak though...having no real power here except for that of mischief and possession. That grey-cloaked figure seemed to be the more powerful one, I could feel his shouki strongly...it was the same as Kanna's. He seemed to be the one to create the illusion of those three people."

"Who was he, I wonder?" Kagome mused. "Anyway, let's get out of here, this place gives me the creeps. We don't have time to waste."

"Eh? Where are we going?"

"Inuyasha, let's go and look for Sesshoumaru and offer him our help. He didn't look in too good condition, we might be able to help."

The expression on Inuyasha's face was beyond description. "NAAAAANIIII?" He howled, "Help that worthless shit?! Are you out of your..."

"Inuyasha...O-su-wa..."

Inuyasha shut his mouth abruptly.

Miroku and Sango agreed with Kagome instantly. Being parents of young children themselves, they couldn't bear the thought of Rin being kept captive somewhere.

"All right, but you do the talking. I'm not talking to that bastard."

"O-K!" Kagome agreed cheerfully. She was not really frightened of Sesshoumaru. Years of knowing him made her realize that he would not harm others without reason. If his manner was infuriatingly snobbish and aloof, that was a different matter.

"Good luck, don't blame me if he bites your head off. And I mean that literally."

"If it's Naraku that's involved, we've _got_ to take him down." Sango said spiritedly. "I would kill that jerk a hundred times and it would still not be enough to avenge Kohaku."

Kagome climbed onto Inuyasha's back and Miroku and Sango climbed onto Kirara.

"Well?" Kagome said, pulling one of Inuyasha's ears.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to start following Sesshoumaru's scent?"

"Keh! He stinks like shit! You owe me one, Kagome!"

Kagome kissed the back of Inuyasha's neck, "O-K!" she whispered. Inuyasha blushed bright red and started off at break-neck speed. Kirara took to the sky behind him.

"Arigato, Inuyasha." Kagome whispered into his ears as they flew through the breaking dawn. Fields, trees and rocky landscape unfolded smoothly beneath the hanyou's feet.

"Kagome, don't get into danger all right? I will protect you."

"I know."

Rin hung silently in the stone room. Her hands were tied painfully above her head with strong iron chains. When would that awful Mahoumaru come to torment her again, she shuddered at the thought of him. His jyaki was so evil, she felt like vomiting when he was close. Then there was that little girl in white... she recognized her as one of Naraku's servants. But how could Naraku be involved? She had seen Sesshoumaru-sama and Inuyasha and Kagome kill him eight years ago!

Rin puzzled it out in the dark. Dawn was breaking and her little cell filled with pale light from a window set near the ceiling. Sesshoumaru-sama would be coming to save her anytime now, she wasn't worried at all. All she would have to do was wait, and keep alive, and he would come to save her. This sort of kidnap had happened before when she was young, she was sure it would be the same this time. These horrible people would keep her here for a while only till Sesshoumaru-sama came to kill them.

When Ongokuki, the child-stealing youkai, had kidnapped her when she was young, Sesshoumaru-sama had saved her. As he had for Takemaru and Naraku when she was held by them at different times. She only wished she could stop being so much trouble to Sesshoumaru-sama. If she was stronger, she could fight and defend herself...but Sesshoumaru-sama never liked to see her hold a sword. He would take it from her hands and fill them with flowers instead. Rin vowed to herself that after this, she would insist on self-defence lessons at least. Hadn't Kyoko said it was essential for everyone to learn self-defence? She wondered why Sesshoumaru-sama never let her fight.

Jaken and Ah-Un were pretty useless last night as well. The youkai who had kidnapped her had simply pumped some sort of stunning gas at them and they had collapsed. She knew they weren't dead because as she was being carried away, she heard Jaken screaming her name in panic. She couldn't call back because one of the youkai held a knife at her throat.

She flexed her fingers again. They were numb and bloodless from being tied up above her head so long. They felt like she had been building snowmen again! Despite her predicament, Rin smiled. Hurry up, Sesshoumaru-sama. I will wait for you. She heard footsteps approaching the room and tensed.

A bolt was slid back and the door opened.

"Good morning, my pretty, did you sleep well?" the grey-cloaked figure stepped into the room.

"You know I did not sleep a wink. Let me go, Sesshoumaru-sama will come soon to kill you."

"Somehow I don't think ssssso. We injured your Lord most severely yesterday...he managed to escape somewhere, he didn't seem to be keen on rescuing you in a hurry" Mahoumaru chuckled.

"You lie!" Rin said stubbornly. "Sesshoumaru-sama will come to save me, no matter what."

"I've brought a friend to visit you today." Someone stepped into Rin's cell behind Mahoumaru. "This is Nibori-sama, in whose palace dungeons you are now staying. Shouldn't you greet your host?"

Rin stared at the Orochi lord before her. He was dressed in fine armour and had long, silky-black hair. He might have been handsome except that his eyes were dull and lifeless, like Kohaku's had been whenever he was under Naraku's control.

"What's wrong with him?" Rin asked. "Why are his eyes like that?"

Mahoumaru gave a shriek of laughter. "What a clever girl for noticing that! Sesshoumaru would be proud of you I'm sure. Well, there's nothing much wrong with Nibori, let's just say his mind isn't quite there for now. It's being borrowed by my master."

Nibori spoke in a harsh voice that did not suit his fine figure. "Sesshoumaru-sama's little girl...all grown up and so pretty...no wonder he keeps you around. Your ningen charms are so that they could warm the loins of even the most cold-blooded youkai...pity that once your beauty fades, he will toss you aside."

"No!" Rin said emphatically. "Sesshoumaru-sama cares for me, he would never do that."

Nibori advanced upon her. "So lovely..." Rin's eyes grew large as the Orochi Lord approached her. Quick as a flash, he shot his head forward and sank his fangs through her kimono into her left breast. Rin screamed and struggled. She felt the paralyzing Orochi venom streaming through her body, and involuntarily felt her muscles slacken.

"I'm returning the bite you gave me eight years ago, though I must say that it probably gives me more pleasure than biting me gave you at that time."

"N-Naraku..."Rin whispered, hanging paralysed. "Impossible!"

Mahoumaru gave a high laugh. "Sesshoumaru allowing a human woman to live in his palace and trail at his feet?...Impossible!"

Rin glared at him, "Shut up!"

The exchange seemed to excite Nibori-Naraku. The possessed Orochi extended a forked tongue and ran it over Rin's cheek. She didn't even have strength to turn away, the Orochi venom immobilized her completely.

"How did you come back? Sesshoumaru-sama killed you!"

"There are ways," Nibori said, still with that harsh, demonic voice. "There is unfinished business on earth for me, so my restless spirit managed to return."

"Unfinished business? The shikon no tama is complete! Kagome has purified it!" Rin knew this much from listening to Sesshoumaru and Jaken. The mysterious jewel which ten years ago had been the cause of all the trouble with Naraku.

"I am not interested in the shikon no tama." Nibori hissed.

"Then why do you seek to return to life?"

Mahoumaru turned as a small white figure entered the room. Kanna had arrived with the magic kagami.

Nibori smiled. "The reason all great warriors return of course..."

Mahoumaru and Kanna positioned themselves in front of Rin. Kanna held the mirror up.

"_Revenge_."

"My Lord, shall we begin? Kanna's illusion is already in position."

"Begin?" Rin asked in panic, "Begin what?"

Nibori's dull brown eyes fixed upon her. "We have to persuade your Sesshoumaru-sama to give his precious Tenseiga to us, so we have to trade something precious for it."

"S-Something precious?" Rin swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Her heart was hammering in her chest so fast and hard she thought she would have a heart attack.

"Something very precious to him. You, of course."

"W-What are you going to do? Are you going to kill me?" Rin choked out her words. Her vision was blurred with fear and she felt light-headed. She was not afraid of death because Sesshoumaru had Tenseiga...but would Sesshoumaru be able to revive her with Tenseiga if he had to give it up to these youkai first? She wondered what eternal death felt like.

"Of course not, Rin. That would be losing our bargaining power. No, don't worry, we won't kill you." Nibori-sama smiled as he ran a hand down her side.

"Then what?"

Kanna tilted the mirror towards Rin and Rin saw her frightened reflection staring back at her in it.

"Something much worse." Nibori ran a clawed hand through her kimono, shredding it and letting it fall to the floor.

"_My body is a precious gift from heaven that I may only show to my dearly loved ones, not to strangers!"_ Rin gasped out what Sesshoumaru had told her only two days ago. "Sesshoumaru-sama will kill you all!"

"Isn't she charming!" Mahoumaru hissed.

The possessed Nibori ran a hand over Rin's full breasts gently. She was unable to move as the Orochi venom surged through her veins, paralyzing her but at the same time, allowing her to feel everything that was being done to her.

Rin's cheeks flamed.

Nibori hands felt their way over her exposed flesh.

She closed her eyes.

The hands snaked below her waist.

Rin began to weep silently.

For the first time in her life, she knew shame.


	7. Chapter 7: A Trade

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 7: A Trade**

Jaken sat huddled in a corner, not daring to even look at Sesshoumaru. The Tai-youkai was so enraged that his eyes were permanently red. Jaken knew that in this mood, Sesshoumaru woul kill at the slightest provocation.

Jaken blamed himself. It had been all his fault, lost in his contemplation about Rin's similarity to Akemi-sama, he had not noticed the youkai sneaking up to cave. By the time, he awoke from the stunning gas, Rin was gone! Jaken's first instinct was to track down her scent with Ah-Un, but the two-headed dragon was unable to fly, it too had been stunned by some strange gas.

Jaken's next reaction was fear...Sesshoumaru-sama would kill him for letting harm come to Rin! He had said so often enough! Then, Sesshoumaru had noticed Rin's purple hair-ribbon on the floor outside the cave. The little green toad picked it up and sniffed it. It smelled like Rin, like flowers and the sea...Tears came to the little toad's eyes. What were they going to do to Rin? Why couldn't he have saved her? He flung his staff of heads on the floor and wept. He was useless! Such a useless youkai! He deserved death!

Sobbing, Jaken waited for Sesshoumaru-sama to return...near dawn, the tai-youkai had walked into the cave, severely wounded and in a terrible fury. Jaken didn't even dare to ask what had happened. It was obvious to Jaken that Sesshoumaru knew Rin was missing, to state something so obvious would bring instant death to himself. For two hours, neither had said anything. The tai-youkai rested as his shoulder wound healed and Jaken sat opposite him fingering Rin's purple hair-ribbon. Crazily, the only thought that kept running through his mind was how Rin's hair would be all messed up without her ribbon....Rin's hair would be all messed up without her ribbon...Rin's hair would be all messed up without her ribbon...

"Jaken."

"Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Saddle up Ah-Un and come with me. We are going to look for Rin."

"B-But Sesshoumaru-sama...you are not properly healed yet...that terrible wound..."

But Sesshoumaru had already stood and left the cave. A trail of blood showed where he had walked. Jaken swallowed. Something very bad must have happened last night, but what?

Sesshoumaru knew that he was not at full strength. He would need two days' rest to heal completely, he had only managed two hours. But he could not delay...there was a good chance Rin was still alive. After all, they had not heard his decision since his half-brother had interrupted the exchange. Of course, Sesshoumaru had decided that he was not going to give up Tenseiga, but he also had no intention of letting them kill Rin. The path of action was clear to him...track down Naraku's servants, kill them, free Rin...

He had had a lot of time in the last two hours to think about Naraku's clever trap. Naraku had played this Sesshoumaru well...he knew all about Sesshoumaru's pride and concerns. He also seemed to know that Rin would still be following him. Even if she had not been with him at the border, they would probably have kidnapped her at his Western Palace when he was away. Naraku had not forgotten that the girl was ...and here, Sesshoumaru hesitated to admit it to himself... his weak point.

With a soft grunt, he set himself on Ah-Un as Jaken bustled around. They had barely taken flight when Sesshoumaru reigned Ah-Un in...a small white figure could be seen on the ground beneath them.

Landing, Sesshoumaru dismounted and faced Kanna.

There was a long silence as Sesshoumaru watched her mirror begin to glow.

"A trade." She whispered. "See."

Sesshoumaru and Jaken saw the pale form of an unclothed young girl appear in the mirror. She was hanging by her wrists from the ceiling. To Jaken, this was the first he had seen of Rin since she disappeared last night, and he squawked with anger. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes never left the image of the Rin in the mirror. They watched as Nibori-sama, who he knew was possessed by Naraku's shiryou, ran a hand over Rin's breasts.

Although Jaken did not care much for the sexual etiquette of youkai or humans, he knew that this behaviour by a man on a woman was very wrong. On his Rin, it was even more wrong! Jaken began to growl.

Sesshoumaru watched as Nibori-sama's hands felt their way along Rin's smooth, white body. The mirror in Kanna's hands pulsed as a terrible shouki filled the area. A strong wind began to blow in a vortex around them.

Jaken looked nervously at Sesshoumaru, the tai-youkai's eyes were red and his fangs had grown. His long silver hair was standing up in the wind of shouki, crackling with energy.

In the mirror, Sesshoumaru watched as Nibori stroked Rin's soft triangle of pubic hair gently. The Orochi used one of his claws to scratch out a kanji character on her lower stomach. It was "_jun_", which meant "_pure_". It was blatantly clear what Nibori-Naraku intended to do to Rin.

By this time, Rin was weeping uncontrollably. Her eyes were closed as streams of tears ran down her cheeks, some tears even fell on Nibori's hands.

Nibori looked at Sesshoumaru through the mirror.

"I'm afraid we were interrupted earlier on, Sesshoumaru so I'm picking up where we left off, perhaps a tiny bit more persuasively. You can stop Rin's suffering now, Sesshoumaru. Simply agree to give us Tenseiga and we will free this pretty little toy of yours. If not, I'm sure you know what will happen to her very shortly."

"S-Sesshoumaru..." Jaken squawked. "Onegai shimasu ...Rin..."

"How dare you blackmail this Sesshoumaru," he growled.

The shouki around Sesshoumaru was terrible now. Trees and scrubs within twenty feet of the tai-youkai withered and died from the force of his shouki. He began to snarl.

Nibori looked directly at Sesshoumaru-sama from the mirror, "Look at you, pathetic Sesshoumaru... Tai-youkai surely should not have such deep possessiveness over a human. It is true what they say about the Inu-youkai bloodline being cursed by a weakness for ningen women..."

Before he could finish, Sesshoumaru let his shouki burst forth at Kanna, shattering the little white girl into dust. When the dust cleared, Kanna reformed with the mirror in her hands.

"An illusion..." whispered Jaken.

"You don't think we'd send the real Kanna out on such a dangerous mission, did you?" Mahoumaru appeared in the face of the mirror. The darkness beneath his grey cloak swirled with jyaki. "I am Mahoumaru, spirit of the kagami, master of reflections! What you have killed is a mere reflection projected by me! No, Sesshoumaru, any open confrontation with you would probably mean death for us, that is why we needed to capture Rin...But perhaps we were wrong, Sesshoumaru...it seems you are not willing to trade with us."

Mahoumaru moved aside to reveal Rin lying on the dungeon floor, her chains cut and lying about her in an iron heap. She was screaming in pain...in releasing her from her chains, Nibori had wrenched her hands so hard that all her fingers were broken. Rin held her fingers before her face and screamed and screamed. The joints were red and swollen, each finger stuck out at a strange angle.

Sesshoumaru felt his heart clench with horror, though his face revealed nothing.

"Do you want to watch?" Nibori faced the mirror. "Perhaps we underestimated you Sesshoumaru. Our master Naraku always told us you would trade anything for this girl, but it seems she does not mean so much to you after all. After all, you can get another pretty ningen girl in the next village, yes? Oh well, before we kill her we might as well have our fun with her."

Nibori spread Rin's legs roughly by shoving his knee between her thighs.

"S-Sessshoumaru-sama..." Rin whispered and opened her tear stained eyes. Rin's quick mind had made the connection with the transmitting properties of the mirror. She cried out "Do not give Naraku tenseiga!"

"Your Sesshoumaru-sama has made it clear he will not come to save you now, my little flower. In fact, he is watching right now as I have my way with you. I assume you are a virgin, for I don't think Sesshoumaru-sama would have let another take you. Or perhaps he has taken you himself..."

Jaken covered his eyes.

"Sesshoumaru-sama... Do not trade. Rin does not mind." Her small voice brought him out of his intense rage and indecision.

Sesshoumaru felt tenseiga pulse beside him. It was trying to tell him something. "I will make the trade."

Nibori turned and looked at the mirror. The darkness in his eyes seemed to glow. "Good."

"How do I know you will keep your word and not harm the girl?"

Mahoumaru appeared in front of the mirror. "Give us tenseiga and we will not harm the girl."

"Give me the girl and I give you Tenseiga."

The grey cloaked figure nodded "At the Orochi palace...in an hour. The girl will be bound in the courtyard under a spell, she will be alive but you will only be able to unbind her if you leave Tenseiga in the mouth of the left dragon at the Great Hall."

Sesshoumaru watched as the figure of Kanna faded before him, the mirror disappearing in her hands.

"S-Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken said in a small voice.

There was a long silence. Sesshoumaru's muscles grew tenfold and his body transformed into that of a gigantic, white, wolf-hound. Ah-Un and Jaken cowered away from the red-eyed dog. The enormous youkai turned towards the South, and raised its head...

_A huge thank-you to all my wonderful reviewers, I know how awful it is to wait months for an update so I'm doing my best! I know this chapter was a bit short, but it's such a significant event it really should stand on its own._


	8. Chapter 8: Stinks of Naraku

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 8: Stinks of Naraku**

"What was terrible noise?" Kirara's hackles rose as the chilling howl faded from the air. Sango tightened her arms around Miroku's waist and shivered. The howl was one of intense despair and fury.

"It's Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha said. "And he's royally pissed about something!"

"A very strong shouki is coming closer!" Kagome yelled into Inuyasha's ear.

Inuyasha leapt behind a large rock and Kirara veered to the left as an enormous white hound leapt towards them. It's eyes were burning red, poison dripped from its jaws and a deep gash on its shoulder stained its trail with red blood.

"It's S-Sesshoumaru" said Kagome, shocked and scared. "What's happened to him?"

"I told you he was pissed off about something!" Inuyasha said. His own hackles were standing on end, he didn't like dealing with his half-brother when he was in this state. "I bet it's about getting tricked by Naraku!"

"He's headed in the direction of the Orochi palace!" Miroku peered into the distance. Kirara roared and turned, eager to follow the large dog, but it was moving so fast the cat couldn't catch up.

"Let's follow him! He can't fight in that state!" Kagome said.

"Don't underestimate that dog brother of mine!" Inuyasha said, "He would fight blinded and limbless if he had to."

"Sesshoumaru-samaaaa!" A green toad came flying by on a two-headed dragon. Inuyasha threw Kagome off his back and jumped in front of Jaken.

"Hey! You! What's going on!"

Jaken pointed the staff of heads at Inuyasha and let out a blast of fire. Inuyasha neatly jumped to the side.

"Don't delay me! We are going to save Rin!"

"Rin!" Kagome ran to Jaken, "Does he know where she is? Is Sesshoumaru going to fight Naraku's minions in his injured condition?"

"No...No...It's a trade. Tenseiga for Rin. Rin for tenseiga. Now let me go!"

"T-Tenseiga?" Inuyasha looked gob-smacked. He knew his half-brother never valued Tenseiga much but surely Sesshoumaru would never agree to such low blackmail! "He will give up Tenseiga?"

"But that will revive Naraku!" Kagome exclaimed in horror. "Surely Sesshoumaru knows that!"

Jaken narrowed his eyes at them. "You will have to ask Sesshoumaru-sama about that. As far as I know, his decision is to trade Rin's life for Tenseiga...it is not up to me, a mere servant, to question my master's decisions. Now get out of my way!"

"We're following you, you little toad!" Inuyasha picked up Kagome and sprang after Ah-Un.

Jaken didn't reply. He really was concerned about Rin. He hoped they had not hurt her... "Rin, we are nearly there" the little green toad muttered, clutching her purple hair-ribbon to his heart.

The Orochi palace loomed into view in the distance. Bodies of youkai and Orochi still littered the area surrounding it from last night's battle. Sesshoumaru crashed through the main gates of the palace and dashed into the compound. Naraku's jyaki was stronger than ever before, although he was unable to place exactly where the evil youkai was hiding. If this had been a normal battle, Sesshoumaru would have hunted Naraku down and torn him in half even at the cost to his own life, but with Rin as a hostage, such methods were useless.

Her saw her at once and immediately shed his dog form to walk to her.

Lying amidst the bodies of the dead, her slim form was covered with the rags of her shredded kimono. He bent to lift her with his arm but she was as heavy as a stone. As they said, she was magically bound. Everything was silent around him.

"Show yourselves." Sesshoumaru said.

Silence.

Thankfully, he could smell her innocence was still intact, but though they had not taken her honour, they had done something else to her. Sesshoumaru could smell the powerful of Orochi venom in her, she lay dying as he spoke.

"You poisoned my ward."

Silence.

"Why should I give you tenseiga when you lied to me?"

Finally, a thin laughter broke through the air.

"If you recall, dog, we made a promise not to harm her further. Unfortunately that venom was given to her before our interview, and she tasted sssssweet indeed."

"What you have done is unforgivable." Sesshoumaru growled, his hand on toukijin. They were playing him for a fool.

"The more you delay, the nearer she will be to death. She is poisoned with Orochi venom, so we suggest you do not waste time. Give us tenseiga."

Sesshoumaru put his hand on tenseiga's hilt. It pulsed with with energy.

"Put it in the left dragon's mouth."

The Inu-tachi arrived just in time to see Sesshoumaru place his father's sword into the dragon's mouth. The sword disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Jaken and Ah-Un reigned in just before the palace gates, afraid to go further and Inuyasha crashed into them.

"What is that bastard doing?!" Inuyasha barked. "I'm going to stop him!" The hanyou placed his hand on tessaiga.

"Sssh! Can't you see? He has no choice!" Kagome had immediately spotted the figure of a young woman, obviously seriously wounded, on the ground behind Sesshoumaru. She grabbed Inuyasha's arm to restrain him.

"If he really gives tenseiga away, they'll use it to revive Naraku!" Inuyasha flung of Kagome's arm.

"Osuwari!" Kagome hissed.

Inuyasha crashed into the ground.

"That young lady is Rin? B-But she should be just a little girl!" Sango said in surprise.

"It's been ten years, Sango...of course she would have grown up." Miroku said. Sango searched for the sound of lechery in his voice but found none, Miroku simply looked sad, "She is very badly wounded. This whole disgusting plot stinks of Naraku."

"Rin...Rin...Sesshumaru-sama..." Jaken moaned to himself.

"Shut up you toad! Your moaning is beginning to annoy me."

"He's lifting her, but she's crying out in pain."

Rin...his poor rin...She looked worse than he had ever seen her before. It was true that they had not killed her, but they might as well have. Her little body was battered beyond belief, her fingers all broken, blood seeped through her shredded cream kimono.

"YAMATE!" Kagome suddenly rushed forward. Sesshoumaru turned to look at the miko who always followed his brother around.

"I failed you, Rin."

Still she did not open her eyes, but simply moaned in pain.

"YAMATE-O!"

"Go away, human woman."

"You cannot just lift her like this, you might make her injuries worse!"

"I am bringing her home."

Kagome only had a moment to take in how determined Sesshoumaru looked to know that she would not be able to change his mind.

"It is a big risk." Kagome said at last.

"Listen to her, you stubborn fool." Inuyasha arrived together with the rest of the Inutachi. "She's a miko, she knows about these things."

"Temee." Sesshoumaru glared at the hanyou. "Do not advise me how to look after my own."

"Well, it didn't look like you were doing a very good job by yourself, did it?"

Sesshoumaru growled deep in his throat.

"At least, cover her up properly before you go, she will die of cold from the journey."

"Take this, jerk." Inuyasha stripped off his fire-rat cloak and tossed it at Rin.

Sesshoumaru was not too proud to ignore the protective properties of fire-rat fur. He gently covered Rin with it.

"You." He turned to Kagome. "You are a miko, right?"

"Hai."

"You will follow me to the Palace of the West to heal Rin."

"Just a minute, bakayarou...no one orders Kagome around like that except me!"

"Inuyasha...it's okay. I'm a miko, and I'm needed."

"Riiiiiin....Riiiiin..." Jaken moaned, "If only I had taken better care of you!"

Miroku punched the green toad on the head.

"Shouki!" Sango cried suddenly. Kirara growled and looked into the sky. "Naraku's shouki is heading North!"

Kagome cried out, clutching her chest. The shikon energy in her was reacting very strongly. "Miroku, Sango...follow it and try to find out where he's headed...I will go...with...Rin."

"Hai, take care, Kagome-chan." Sango said, swinging herself onto Kirara. "We'll give you news!" Miroku leapt up onto the demon cat behind Sango.

"Miko, get on Ah-Un. He flies faster than Inuyasha can run." Sesshoumaru surrounded himself with a great field of energy.

"OK" Kagome said, climbing onto the dragon. Inuyasha decided to let the insult pass and climbed up behind Kagome.

"Follow me." Sesshoumaru shot off into the air, a great arc of golden energy. Rin lay cold and motionless in his arms. Although he had never wished for it before, the dog demon now wished he had two arms to cradle Rin properly. He wrapped his soft fur stole around her as tightly as he could to stop her from falling. Inuyasha's fire-rat cloak was certainly serving its function of keeping her warm from their speed of travel. She might not have survived it otherwise. He swore to tear off that hanyou's cloak the minute they landed.

A multitude of emotions coursed through him. Anger at Naraku, frustration at himself, guilt at having failed Rin, fear that she might die. No Rin, you cannot die now, not when I don't have tenseiga to revive you. Not when we have so many more years before us. I will find something to prolong your life, and we will have centuries ahead of us. You are the flower of my heart. I cannot bear the lonely centuries ahead, without you at my side.

2222222222222222222222222

Miroku and Sango flew after Naraku's shouki but couldn't seem to catch up. Miroku almost wished he still had kazaana to suck Naraku's minions into it.

"We're losing them!" Sango called.

"I know."

Kirara growled.

"They're heading for fire country!"

"They must be headed to the gate to the underworld."

Miroku and Sango lost sight of the shouki but eventually landed in fire country. Many years ago, the Inu-tachi had tried to get past Gozu and Mezu, sentries to the underworld, but were not successful. Only the dead could pass.

There was no longer any sign of Naraku's shouki. Nervously, Sango, Miroku and Kirara approached the cave that held the entrance to the next world. In the dim light, they could see Gozu and Mezu at the entrance of the great gate, which was just closing as they entered.

"Don't get too near them, Sango. Remember Gozu and Mezu are dangerous."

"Mmm."

Kirara growled.

"Those bastards could get past because they had the sword of the afterlife...tenseiga."

"Chikuso." Cursed Sango, turning in despair to her husband. "They've gone to revive Naraku!"

"No doubt." Sighed Miroku.

"Look!" Sango ran to the side of the cave, "It...It's that Orochi Lord who was with them!"

Miroku rushed over to join her. "It must be Nibori-sama."

The Orochi Lord's body was cold and dead. He look weakened, as if he had been sick for a long time.

"My guess is that Naraku's shirei had been possessing this tai-youkai's body for years," said Miroku who had plenty of experience with possession when he was a practising monk some years ago. "He's abandoned this body now, it probably could not withstand possession much longer although being a tai-youkai, it withstood it much longer than a normal human or youkai's body would."

"If he's abandoned the body, he's probably going to get a new one soon."

"He'll resurrect himself with tenseiga, that's my guess," Miroku. He said a prayer over the body of the Orochi Lord. "Nibori-sama was a just and peaceful ruler from all accounts. It's a pity the House of Orochi should end this way."

"Hai," said Sango. "May he and his tribe make their peace in heaven. They were badly used by Naraku."

"Well what shall we do? Wait here?"

"It's pointless. Who knows how long they will take, it's best we get back to Inuyasha and give him the news."

They climbed onto Kirara's back.

"Er...Miroku..."

"Yes Sango?"

"Where is the Palace of the Western Lands?"

Miroku banged his head with his fist, "Damn...I have no idea."

Sango sighed, "Let's just get back to the village, I'm sure we can make our way to the Palace from there, and Miho and Miru will surely miss us."

Miroku nodded and touched his kazaana. His hand was still whole, the moment it opened again, he would know that Naraku was back.

_Hey, thanks to all you lovely reviewers! I really enjoyed reading your responses and do hope you'll write more._


	9. Chapter 9: Live

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 9: Live**

Sesshoumaru arrived at the Palace of the WesternLlands first. He was still carrying Rin in his arms. Ignoring the dismayed and curious faces of his servants, he carried Rin to her room and laid her on her futon. He growled for his servants and Kyoko and Reka, two of her kitsune handmaidens, rushed to the room.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," the two kitsune bowed low before him, "What has happened to Rin?"

"That is not your concern. Take that ridiculous fire-rat cloak off her and cover her with a silk sheet. Do not move her too much. A miko will be arriving shortly... you are to do everything as she says."

"A human miko?" Reka asked.

"Yes."

Sesshoumaru left the room quickly to allow the handmaidens to do their work. He waited at the palace gates for the Kagome and Inuyasha, who could not be far behind. He was not surprised that his younger half-brother had chosen to follow his woman to the Palace of the West rather than take off after Naraku's shouki. He could smell the reason all over the miko – a familiar, thick scent that he had not smelt for a long time.

Back in Rin's room, Kyoko was already pulling the fire-rat cloak off Rin. Her poor mistress! Something terrible had happened to her...she appeared to be in some kind of fevered coma, one shoulder was dislocated with the joint at a crazy angle, and all her pretty fingers appeared to be broken! Kyoko exclaimed in horror at Rin's bloodied hands, each knuckle was black and swollen and the bone even stuck up through the skin at parts.

Reka, the other kitsune, was equally horrified.

"Kyoko...what do you think happened to Rin?

Kyoko bit her lip. Everyone in the Western Lands knew that Sesshoumaru treated Rin like his own daughter, she was his precious jewel...who could have dared harm her in this way? Sesshoumaru would surely have killed them!

Before the handmaidens could react further, the screen door was pulled back. A human lady dressed in a simple yukata entered the room. Sesshoumaru stood behind her.

"This is the human miko...you will do as she says, or lose your lives."

"H-Hai Sesshoumaru-sama."

Kagome smiled at the two kitsune in front of her. They reminded her of Shippou with their green eyes and red hair.

"I am Kagome, pleased to meet you."

"I am Kyoko and she is Reka, we are Rin's handmaidens."

Kagome nodded. She had no doubt that Rin lived the life of a princess in Sesshoumaru's palace. The obvious care he had for Rin would allow him to give her nothing less than the best.

"Please, Kagome-sama...what happened to Rin?"

"She was kidnapped and tortured." Kagome answered, quickly going over to Rin.

The trip to the palace had been a blur for Kagome, Ah-Un flew faster than Kirara and she and Inuyasha had had to cling on for dear life. The dragon appeared distressed, as if it knew what was going on. Now and then it let out heavy moans, as if of pain.

In about six hours, Kagome and Inuyasha had arrived at the Palace of the Western Lands and they found an impatient Sesshoumaru waiting for them at the main gates. Kagome could easily tell hat the palace was sumptuous. The gold panels set in rosewood walls and the elaborate filigree ironwork flashed by her as she hurriedly followed Sesshoumaru down corridor after corridor. So this was where Inuyasha's half-brother lived...this was where Inuyasha had grown up...But aside from noting that the place was lavishly decorated and huge, Kagome did not notice anything else. In fact, if asked to retrace her steps, she would have been at a loss.

But there was no time to think about the palace now. Rin's life was at stake. The first thing to do would be to take note of the injuries. It would help the handmaidens to hear this as well.

"Kyoko, Reka...listen as I list her injuries. It will help you nurse her later on."

Kagome lifted the blanket off Rin.

"High fever from Orochi venom, dislocated shoulder, two broken ribs, ten broken fingers, a poisonous bite-wound on the left breast..." Kagome stared at Rin's lower stomach...someone had used some sort of knife to carve a word there... "Deep scratches on lower stomach..."

"The word is 'jun'" whispered Reka, "It means...'purity'. Which sick person would do that?"

"But thankfully, she is untouched," Kagome murmured, inspecting the girl's private parts carefully. "Now I know why Sesshoumaru gave up tenseiga."

"Tenseiga? Of course Sesshoumaru-sama would up tenseiga before Rin was hurt any further, everyone in the palace knows that Rin is precious to him," Kyoko barked softly.

"Listen, Reka, please boil a tub of hot water for me, get a stick of bamboo and five long strips of your strongest silk. Kyoko, bring me honey, sake, feverfew, ginseng, tang kwei, and cordyceps from the the kitchen. Be quick!"

When the things were brought to her, Kagome expertly set Rin's dislocated shoulder. Although it gave a sickening crack, it popped easily back into the socket. Kagome was glad that Rin was unconscious through it all. The girl had already been through enough pain. Then she applied medicine to Rin's bite wound and bound up her torso tightly with the silk. It would immobilise her and help her ribs set. Then Kagome set to work on Rin's little fingers. Kyoko wept silently as Kagome set each finger in a bamboo splint and bound it tightly.

"She was learning to play the shamisen!"

"She is young, they should set again," Kagome said grimly, some doubt in her mind.

Finally, she turned to the injuries on Rin's lower body. That disgusting word 'jun' cut into her flesh...Kagome swabbed it gently with sake and honey. That should stop it turning septic.

Kyoko almost couldn't take it anymore. "Who did this! What type of monster would do this?"

"Ssshh! Control yourself!" Kagome hushed the kitsune. Reka put an arm around her friend.

"I watched Rin grow up! Since she was nine years old, she called me 'sister' and I told her nothing would ever harm her..."

"We are not done yet. Kyoko, you must hold Rin's head as I pour this other medicine down her throat."

Kagome slipped a rubber tube which was in her first aid kit down Rin's throat, attached a funnel to it, and poured down a large amount of fever medicine. Rin hardly moved through it all. Her eyes moved under her eyelids but her body remained paralysed.

Finally, satisfied that she had done all she could for now, she sat back and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"Thank you, Kyoko and Reka. You were very helpful."

"When will Rin-sama awaken?"

Kagome shook her head, "I do not know. It could be a day, it could be a week. All we can do it pray."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"We have to pour soft food and medicine down into her stomach using this tube every six hours." Kagome said.

The demons stared at the curious contraption. They supposed it was a common miko's tool.

"And I would like to pray over her frequently as well. Her injuries are not only of the body, but of the spirit."

This, the kitsunes understood.

"Hai..."

Kagome smoothed Rin's hair. She could barely associate this young woman with the barefoot little girl who had run screaming around Sesshoumaru ten years ago. The babyish cheeks were gone, replaced with the sharp cheekbones of adulthood. Her figure was full and fine. Rin's skin, hair and nails were in immaculate condition, showing years of careful grooming and breeding that Sesshoumaru must have lavished on her in this palace. As it was, the futon she lay on was of fine soft cotton, silk drapes hung about the walls, Every luxury and convenience a young girl might desire was in this room – jewellery boxes, books, writing equipment, flowers, embroidery kits, and even a rosewood shamisen finer than any she had seen before... Silently, Kagome took the ebony comb from her sleeve and put it beside Rin on her futon. The Inu-tachi had thought it was a comb worthy of a princess. If they could see how Rin was treated in Sesshoumaru's palace, they would not even think it fine enough for her.

"Poor Rin," Kagome muttered. "Poor Sesshoumaru."

There came a knock at the door. The two kitsunes stood as Sesshoumaru walked in. They excused themselves and ran away with the basin of bloodied water and dirty rags.

Sesshoumaru closed the door behind him.

"You did well." He said, not looking at Kagome, he was only looking at Rin.

"I did my best, I only hope it will be enough."

"It will be." He said, still looking at Rin, "This Sesshoumaru will not let Rin die again."

"Again?"

"I revived her as a child with Tenseiga. She had been killed by wolves."

"I'm sorry this happened to Rin."

"It was not your fault." He paused, "It was mine."

"No, Sesshoumaru..." Kagome's kind heart went out to the cold, white demon beside her. "...It was Naraku's."

"Naraku was the one who hurt Rin. I was the one who failed to protect her."

Kagome decided it was pointless reasoning with the tai-youkai. "I will need to stay to nurse Rin back to health."

"Your rooms have already been prepared."

"Arigatou."

Sesshoumaru turned back to Rin. It was clear he did not wish to speak any more. Kagome left the room quietly and shut the shoji door.

Sesshoumaru knelt on the tatami next to Rin's futon. Her breathing was deep and peaceful, though her face was deathly white.

"I failed you, Rin."

He lifted her crushed, bandaged fingers gently and held them tenderly with one hand. Then, he released them and brushed her silky black hair with his claws. Startled, he saw her ebony comb beside her, the one Rin had thought lost. It smelt like Kagome, the miko must have found it on her way to the South... Again that familiar, thick, smell from long ago came to his nose. Kagome smelt so strongly of it...and now, Rin did too. Silently he picked it up and ran it once through her tangled hair, keeping Rin's bangs out of her eyes. His eyes lingered over her white skin, now robbed of the blush of life.

Winter, trapped in Rin's skin. Cold, ice, frost...never had Sesshoumaru hated the thought of snow so much before. If he could bring the summer blush back to those cheeks of hers...He ran a clawed hand over her cheeks. Though her skin was like winter, it was burning hot. She was running a high fever, still in the throes of deadly Orochi venom.

Winter, but burning within.

_"I will stay with you forever, Sesshoumaru-sama...itsumo demo."_

If only he knew a way to preserve her brief life. He would have her by his side for all eternity. Her laughter and song would fill his empty heart with joy forever. He treasured such happiness. He treasured his Rin. He was already making plans to retrieve tenseiga...if he could not extend her life, he could at least protect her from early death with that sword of his father. But now tenseiga was in Naraku's hands...

Rin gave a soft sigh and her long lashes fluttered, but she did not awaken. It was strange to smell Kagome's condition on his Rin. That thick, sweet smell meant only one thing – Sesshoumaru knew it, and he knew Inuyasha knew it too, which was why he had been so protective of Kagome, even following her to the Palace. Sesshoumaru stroked her cheeks and found his hands touching her fair neck. The smell on his Rin was frightening and odd, a mixture of demon and human life...he had not smelt it since Izayoi first came to the Palace a century ago. His hands wandered to the soft the base of her throat where male demons made their mating-mark on their females.

His fingers stroked the base of her throat. Kagome's special scent was fading, but the sweet smell had started him thinking if one day, his Rin would smell like this too...What would it mean if she did? He felt a flash of possessiveness, and immediately pushed it away. It could not be. Sesshoumaru growled in confusion. What would happen if he actually succeeded in making her immortal? He had never thought beyond that moment...of course, they would continue as always. Rin would tend to her gardens and he would read poems to her. She would accompany him on his patrols and look after his house when he was busy, as she already did. When winter came, she would build snow-men and beg him to throw snowballs at her.

He stroked the base of Rin's neck again, pleased at those memories.

The thought she might suffer and die had been unbearable... Hours ago, for the first time in his life, he had allowed himself to be blackmailed because of his weakness for her.

"Chichiue...Once again I wonder why you left me Tenseiga."

Very gently, he traced the outline of her lips with his claws. The image of Rin as a little girl faded in his mind, as he stared at her, he saw clearly the sharp contours of her face that marked her as a woman, the curve of her breasts and hips, the softness of her skin. He smelt the fading but still sweet scent of fertility on her. He had never considered her from this new angle before, but he would very much like to begin exploring its possibilities.

"Live Rin. Even if not forever, live now."


	10. Chapter 10: Nightmares

**Chapter 10: Nightmares**

Kagome and Inuyasha had been staying at the Palace of the Western Lands for three days and so far, no word had come from Sango and Miroku. During this time, they hardly saw Sesshoumaru- the tai-youkai kept to his study for most of the day, and any free time he had, he spent at the bed-side of the unconscious Rin. By now, word had spread through the Palace of the tragedy that had befallen their master: his girl-ward tortured, his sword stolen. Some of the servants remembered Inuyasha from when he was a baby, but none dared to speak to him for fear of incurring Sesshoumaru's wrath...it was well known how much Sesshoumaru disliked his half-brother.

The one who was treated with great respect and fondness by all the servants was Kagome. They addressed her as Kagome-sama, and saw to her every need. They all knew that she was the miko Sesshoumaru was counting on to save Rin. She even reminded them a little of Rin herself, she had the same lively manner and kind heart.

"Eeeeyaaaaggghh, I can't stand this anymore." Inuyasha scratched himself as he sat in the garden. "Nothing's happening which is usually bad news. We should have told Sango and Miroku where this blasted palace was. They're probably trying to find us."

The hanyou was worried about all sorts of things...Naraku...Miroku and Sango...Kagome...Rin...Kagome especially...But in characteristic fashion, he tried to hide it.

"Keh, I vote I pop back to the village and check on them, whaddaya say, Kagome?"

Kagome sat by his side, taking in the sights of the beautiful garden. She was worried about Miroku and Sango, but she was also increasingly worried about Rin as the days wore on, the Orochi poison was taking too long to come out of her system, she didn't know if Rin would survive another week. Although her other injuries had improved, and even her fever gone, Rin seemed to be in some sort of death-sleep. What Sesshoumaru would do if Rin died, Kagome couldn't begin to imagine. So often she had gone to Rin's room to pray or give medicine, only to softly turn away when she saw the shadow of the Tai-youkai sitting by Rin's bedside. Rin's coma was no longer peaceful, often she tossed and moaned, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Miroku and Sango are good fighters, Inuyasha. I'm sure they're all right. If Naraku had returned, I'm sure we'd feel his shouki around here. My shikon energy isn't reacting to anything, except Sesshoumaru of course, he is a tai-youkai."

"Yeah, but I can't help feeling we should keep in touch. They don't know where to find us, and we can't rely on that twit Shippou to protect them, not when he's busy chasing every village girl in a skirt..."

"Why don't you make a trip back to visit them? It should take you only a few days there and back. Kaede and Shippou are probably worried to death about us too. Then we can find out what's been happening with tenseiga."

"Eh? Aren't you coming too?"

"Not while Rin's so sick. I'm worried about Rin, Inuyasha. She's taking too long to come out of the poison. She's not even in a fever anymore, so there's no reason why she should be in that coma."

"Eh, I'm worried about that girl too."

"Lately, she's taken a turn for the worse. The poison seems to be giving her visions and dreams, she's lost deep in that world."

"She's hiding from something...She needs something to bring her out of it."

"Hiding from something...You may be right, the trauma she faced, maybe she just doesn't want to wake and face reality again." Kagome pondered on Inuyasha's words. "She needs something to live for, as if to jerk her out of her torment."

Inuyasha poked at the fish pond with his toe, scattering the fish. "Well?"

Kagome looked surprised, "Well, what?"

"You're the miko, you should know something that will wake Rin up. You'd better think fast because this palace is starting to stifle me. Besides, I have a really bad feeling about Naraku and Tenseiga."

Kagome frowned. "Yes, I'm sure Naraku will use it to revive himself, what's taking him so long I don't know. But Rin's life is a priority. Anyway, we'd hear from Miroku and Sango once Naraku has surfaced. They would find a way to tell us, Shippou could sniff us out if it really came to that. If only Rin would wake up. I myself don't feel too good these days, the nausea is becoming worse."

"Don't tire yourself out nursing Rin, maybe it's that that's getting to you." Inuyasha started to blush, "I think you should go back to your time and get yourself checked out by the doctor...you er...you never know what could be wrong with you..."

"Inuyasha, how would you feel if it was me lying there in that coma?"

Inuyasha gulped. "Sorry."

Kagome went back to thinking about Rin. What could possibly break her out of her coma? Though Kagome renewed her prayers over Rin and prepared fresh medicines for her, the girl's death-sleep was no longer silent, she was having the most terrible nightmares. Often she would cry out for Sesshoumaru-sama, or just weep till dawn.

It was on one of these nights that Kagome found a screaming Rin.

"Hidoi...hidoi!" Rin panted, "So terrible!"

"Rin, wake up!"

But the girl would not wake. That night her screams were so terrible that Sesshoumaru-sama himself came to her side.

"Leave us." Sesshoumaru spoke to Kagome. "I will stay with her till dawn."

Kagome faced Sesshoumaru, "We have to find a solution for this, or she is just going to get worse. The venom is already out of her system but there are things in her mind and spirit keeping her prisoner, and until we free them, Rin will worsen and die, not of the venom, but of sickness of the spirit."

Kagome took a deep breath and continued.

"Sesshoumaru...I have been thinking about it for some time. I really think we must perform a Kamioroshi to call Rin back from the land between death and life. She is trapped in the underworld, neither in heaven or in hell."

"We will speak more in the morning."

Kagome bowed and left the room, seeking out Inuyasha.

"Kamioroshi?" Inuyasha exclaimed, "You've only done that twice before...once on a village woman who was possessed by a fox spirit, the other on Miru when she swallowed a hallucinogenic mushroom... if you don't manage it well on Rin, Sesshoumaru will kill you!"

"I am sure Rin will survive it, she is young and strong."

"Is there no other way? Maybe she will just get over it."

Kagome shook her head, "Rin had a near-death experience. Her spirit is still trapped between both worlds. Her nightmares seem real to her, reality is tenuous. We are still fighting to bring her back to us fully."

"Do you think Sesshoumaru will appreciate all this you're doing for him?"

"I'm not doing it for Sesshoumaru, I'm doing this for Rin too!"

"I still think it's a bad idea."

"Inuyasha...will you support me?"

"Keh...do I have a choice?"

"No!"

Inuyasha sighed and put his arms around Kagome. "At least spend the night with me first, tomorrow will be a rough day."

Kagome buried her head in his silver hair, "Like you had to ask."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A Kamioroshi was a 'soul-calling', something like a séance, and Kagome never performed it unless absolutely necessary. It was used to call back the souls of people trapped between life and death, usually after they had gone through a very emotionally traumatic experience or had been deathly ill. The risks were great, and although her two previous patients had come through succesfully, Kagome knew that the price of failure was depression, madness and even death.

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome set up her incense and candles beside the futon of the sleeping Rin. Incense burned as Kagome chanted over a rosary which would protect Rin while her soul was being called.

The miko put the rosary around Rin's neck and explained, "This will keep her safe. I have blessed it."

Sesshoumaru's impassive face did not show his nervousness. But the fact that he had insisted on overseeing the Kamioroshi was an good indication to Kagome that the tai-youkai was worried about Rin.

Kagome held Rin's cold hands in her own. The sweet incense of jasmine and sandalwood filled the room. The incense had been made from the flowers of the Goshinbuku tree itself. For a long time, Kagome said nothing, to the sleeping girl. Softly, the miko began praying the familiar words learned from Kaede-bachan, who had learned them from Kikyo-sama herself.

"Rin-chan, can you hear me?"

"Yes."

It had been more than a week since he had heard her voice. He must admit that at some points in the last week, he had feared he might never hear it again. The voice that came from Rin was Rin's, and yet not Rin's. To Sesshoumaru, it sounded small and frightened, like it had when she had first begun speaking to him after he had resurrected her with tenseiga. Although his Rin was fully grown, clothed in fine silk and with the graces of a fine young princess, at that moment, she looked to him no more than a raggedy child of seven begging to hide in the soft folds of his hakama.

"Where are you?"

"I do not know."

"How do you feel?"

"Frightened."

"What are you frightened of?"

Rin's brow furrowed, "Bandits."

"What else?"

"Wolves. Being alone and abandoned, Naraku and - "

"And?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama never coming back."

"I see. Rin, describe what is around you."

"All these things. I can hear wolves in the dark, bandits are around me, Naraku is here, and I have been here before..."

"What do you mean?"

"I was brought here by the jaws of wolves, but as I was flying towards the light, Sesshoumaru-sama called me back over the river, and I left for a while. But now I am back here, as I always knew I would be. There is the river around me, and that wonderful light in the distance, but I cannot go to that light this time, I know I must cross the river. Still, Naraku blocks it. I cannot escape. I cannot go forward, I cannot go back... and... Sesshoumaru-sama is not coming this time."

Sesshoumaru's jaw twitched. She was remembering her death as a child. He hadn't realised how much that experience had horrified her, or the terrible things she must have seen in that underworld before Tenseiga called her back to life.

"Can you try to come over the river?"

Beads of sweat broke out on Rin's brow. "I cannot. Naraku is there. I am too weak to walk. I am lying here in the dark, hoping they will not notice me..."

"Rin-chan, I want you to..."

"They have seen me!" Rin gasped suddenly. Beads of sweat rolled down her face, soaking her kimono. Under her closed eyelids, Kagome saw her eyeballs move frantically all around.

"Rin..."

"The bandits have caught me, they ride on wolves to bring me to Naraku."

Kagome was expecting this and did not interrupt.

"Naraku has a sword. Sesshoumaru-sama's sword tenseiga. He is looking at me. He asks, where is the other one? I do not know!"

Sesshoumaru's ears perked up.

"He is searching for it. I tell him I do not know! But he does not believe me!" Rin was crying now, the tears spilling out from under her closed eyelids.

"What is it?" Kagome said quietly.

"Another sword even more powerful than tenseiga. He is searching for it in that place of darkness, searching, always searching...he calls it Souunga."

Kagome drew a sharp breath...that cursed blade of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's father! It was sealed somewhere in the underworld and that bastard Naraku was trying to find it! Sesshoumaru must have heard too for the tai-youkai growled softly. Kagome pushed those thoughts out of her mind and concentrated on Rin who was speaking again.

"I see them now..."

"What?"  
"Bodies of the dead. The bandits are dead, their flesh rots. The wolves are dead, but their skeletons move. All listen to Naraku. There are other dead bodies. A river of blood and corpses behind him, and he is searching for it!"

"Rin, I want you to leave that place." Kagome said firmly. The miko picked up a small golden bell and lit more incense. "You have no place among the dead, return to the living. You are wearing a kotodama rosary and are protected." Kagome rang the bell loudly.

Rin's hands went around her neck. "Yes... there is a blessing around me, a powerful blessing! But it is not enough...I cannot cross the river of the dead!" Rin wailed and raised her hands to her hair, tearing at it. "He guards it and asks me for the sword!"

"Rin, you can cross that river. You are protected by the rosary."

"No!" Rin shook her head. "Naraku is hurting me with tenseiga!" Rin clutched her stomach. "It hurts so much, and yet I cannot die. Sesshoumaru-sama! Where are you?"

Kagome rang the bell, louder this time. "Rin, cross the river. Come towards the bell" She was beginning to get worried, the girl was deeper in the underworld than she had imagined at first. These kinds of fears might trap her forever.

"It is so painful, he has cut off all my fingers! Sesshoumaru-sama does not come to save Rin!"

The tai-youkai rose to his feet, his protective instincts aroused, the guilt that Sesshoumaru felt overwhelmed him.. Rin was curled into a tight ball, drenched with sweat and tears. "Sesshoumaru-sama, why do you not come to save Rin!" Rin was crying out now in genuine distress. "I am suffering and you do not come! You have abandoned me. You failed me."

Kagome had not expected this level of trauma- the girl seemed resigned to hoplessness. She needed something now to call her out of that terrible in-between land. Kagome glanced nervously at Sesshoumaru- they both knew that the Kamioroshi was on the verge of going wrong. Sesshoumaru looked at Rin's small face for a moment and took a small breath. "Rin, come here."

The girl lay silently.

Sesshoumaru tried again, more authoritatively this time. "Rin, come here."

There was a long silence as Rin lay deathly still.

"H-h-..." Rin's lips parted slightly as a breath came from her. This was no simple sigh or mad rambling, the girl was trying to respond.

"Rin, Sesshoumaru called you back, didn't he? Can you hear him?"

"He is calling you, isn't he?"

"H-Hai."

"Why don't you cross the river and go to him. He did not abandon you, he is waiting here."

Rin moaned. "So-hard-to-move...I will lie here forever."

"Get past Naraku. Go towards Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows rose, "Rin, I said come here." his deep voice called to her again.

Kagome clasped her hands over her mouth. It was more than she had hoped for, she hadn't even been sure the Kamioroshi would work!

"H-H-Hai...S-S...Sess..."

Rin's eyelids fluttered, and she turned her head towards the sound of Sesshoumaru's voice. "H-Hai...Sesshou...maru...sama..."

"The kamioroshi is finished," Kagome said quietly, "Arigatou Sesshoumaru. Your help was invaluable." In all her experience as a miko, she had never seen a Kimoroshi patient respond to anyone but a miko, there had to be some deep bond of obedience between Rin and Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru and Rin were still looking at each other.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you came to save me," Rin whispered, her voice was hoarse from disuse.

"I was nearly too late," Sesshoumaru said, running a clawed hand over Rin's wet brow. "I made you worry."

Rin shook her head, "Iye, Rin knew you would come. Rin is sorry she doubted you. G-Gomenasai."

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes flickered with emotion for a second, "Rin, it is I who..."

"Do not say it," Rin turned away, "Do not say it. I do not want to know that."

"Rin-chan," Kagome addressed her gently, "Don't work yourself up."

"Rin, it is hard for me to say but I..."

"Iye, don't say it, Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin is sorry she doubted you. Of course Sesshoumaru-sama would come to save Rin!"

"I think you'd better leave her for a while," Kagome said to the tai-youkai who looked more and more uncomfortable with RIn's strange behaviour. "What she needs now is a good rest."

"Hnh." Sesshoumaru stood, his white robes swished about him gently as he walked. Rin listened to the familiar rustle of silk and a pain shot through her heart. She had doubted Sesshoumaru-sama. How could she have done that? Of course he would save her, and he had.

"We will talk more in the morning, Rin." Said the tai-youkai, as he shut the shoji screen.

"Rin-chan...I am Kagome, Inuyasha's miko friend, do you remember me?"

"Of course, Kagome-sama. You were in Takemaru's castle with Rin many years ago when he captured us."

"We were all very worried about you, Rin-chan. You have been unconscious for a week and you nearly died of Orochi poison. Sesshoumaru has hardly left your bed-side."

"Sesshoumaru-sama gave up Tenseiga for me, didn't he?"

"Mm." Kagome nodded, as she lifted a bowl of water to Rin's lips, "Drink this. Your voice is still hoarse."

Rin drank obediently, "I told him not to, you know. I wouldn't have minded dying, now Naraku can come back."

"Rin-chan, do you remember any of the things you saw when you were unconscious?"

Rin frowned, "Not really. It was a very bad, dark place. But I don't remember."

Kagome decided not to mention anything about Souunga, it would simply distress Rin further and it was the last thing she needed right now.

"I wish Sesshoumaru-sama had not given up Tenseiga," Rin said, closing her eyes.

"Rin-chan, Sesshoumaru-sama would do anything to save you." Kagome said sincerely, "He cares for you greatly."

"Too much." Rin said, almost sadly. "Sometimes I think it is too much. I am only a human girl, I have caused him so much trouble."

"Rest now. You will feel much better in the morning." Kagome patted Rin's hand. "You are still very weak and have to take a lot of rest and medicine."

Kagome left the room, thinking about what Rin had said about Sesshoumaru. The girl seemed to feel that she was somehow inferior to youkai, no doubt that was due to years of listening to Sesshoumaru's bigoted views. But then again, it was clear that Sesshoumaru and Rin's relationship went far beyond that of simply youkai master and human servant. He had given up Tenseiga for her, that was a real blow to his pride. No master would giveup his sword for a servant. The way he had spoken to her and caressed her...Kagome smiled to herself. She was pretty sure that Rin was absolutely wrong about what regard her Sesshoumaru-sama held her in, and unless she was much mistaken, Sesshoumaru was going to have trouble keeping the truth from Rin much longer.

"What are you smiling about?" Inuyasha demanded, "How is Rin?"

"Rin-chan is awake at last, the Kamioroshi worked," Kagome said happily putting her arms around Inuyasha and giving him a big kiss.

Inuyasha turned bright red, "What's up with you, wench? Can't this wait till tonight?"

Kagome giggled, "I suppose." Kagome suddenly regained her composure and began speaking seriously. "Inuyasha, Rin saw things in the border between the the world of the living and dead...Naraku has Tenseiga and he is looking for Souunga."

"Souunga?" Inuyasha exclaimed, "That bastard thinks he can use chichiue's sword? Keh!"

"This is serious, Inuyasha." Kagome said, flicking a white hair out of her dog-demon's golden eyes. "If Naraku gets hold of Souunga..."


	11. Chapter 11: All Things Change

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 11**: **All Things** **Change**

Rin sat in the garden with Kyoko and Reka beside her. She was wearing a new pink kimono but was also wrapped in a thick wool rug. Her handmaidens were afraid she would catch cold in her weakened state.

"You have kept the garden well in my absence," said Rin quietly.

"Arigatou, Rin." Said Reka proudly, "It was easy because you give it such great care every summer. We only did a little bit of watering here and there."

"There is one empty patch near the side, Rin," Kyoko said, "You said you were going to bring back some new flowers from the South to plant in it, did you manage to find any?"

Rin shook her head. "No."

Reka kicked Kyoko. The handmaidens had promised each other not to mention Rin's journey to the South at all for dear of upsetting her.

"I-I'm sorry, Rin ...I did not mean to remind you..."

Rin shook her head slowly, "It's all right, Kyoko. It's all right."

"Well, what do you want to plant there?" Reka said brightly, trying to change the topic.

Rin looked sadly at her hands. "My hands cannot even comb my own hair, much less hold a spade to dig earth."

"Oh come on, Rin ...don't worry, they will heal. Kagome-sama the miko said your fingers were setting really fast and well. She even prepared that special medicine for your bones, remember?"

Rin continued staring at her fingers. "I may be able to hold a spade, Kyoko...but I will never play the shamisen again."

"Kyoko, Reka."

Kyoko and Reka bowed at their master's voice.

"Leave us."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The two kitsunes ran off.

Rin lifted her head as Sesshoumaru approached her. She tried to smile at him "Ohayo gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you."

Sesshoumaru stood awkwardly beside her, there were so many things he had to say to her, none of them easy. At last, Rin pointed to the empty space on the bench next to her, "Won't you sit down, Sesshoumaru-sama."

With a rustle of white silk, the tai-youkai sat down next to Rin. It was a small bench and they were so close their clothes touched. Both sat in silence for a long while, not unlike the way they used to peacefully enjoy each other's company in the past.

Rin's thoughts were anything but peaceful at the moment. The girl felt a rage of emotions...anger at herself for being such a nuisance to Sesshoumaru-sama, guilt for doubting him, sadness at her own injuries, fear at what the future would hold for them now that it was clear she was a liability to him. Surely he would not allow her to continue at his side now that it was proven that demons could and would use her against him? She was afraid of hearing those dreaded words, "You are only in my way. I will not protect you anymore, please leave."

Sesshoumaru was caught up in his own tangled web of emotions. He had failed Rin. The one person in his life who meant something to him, who he had cared for and cherished since she was a little girl, had been badly wounded because _he_ had been proud and stupid enough to fall for Naraku's trick. She must doubt his ability to protect her, possibly he had fallen some way in her estimation, and god knows he deserved it. It was not over, Naraku was after Souunga, and Sesshoumaru knew that if Naraku ever returned, he and Inuyasha were probably prime targets for killing since vengeance burned in Naraku' shouki. Maybe Rin would want to go away from all this danger if she doubted his ability to protect her? Then what would he do? Spend the lonely years ahead alone, die without hearing her voice again? And on top of all this was that strange new emotion that had entered his heart when he had seen her lying there on her futon in her death sleep, the whiteness of her skin and the curve of her breasts and hips, making him consider putting the mating-mark on her neck so that he could claim her forever as his own...

"Gomenasai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin was speaking softly, "Rin was a big trouble to you and made you lose Tenseiga..."

"Rin..."

"Rin doubted you would come to save her, which was very wrong of her. If you want Rin to go away..." The girl choked and could not finish her sentence. But she decided it was better to have it out in the air, she couldn't bear not knowing what the future held for her. "..._then Rin will go and never be a liability to Sesshoumaru-sama again_!" Rin hung her head, her broken fingers trembled with emotion.

"Baka no koto," Sesshoumaru said gently. "Such a foolish thing."

"Huh?"

"You are not a liability to me, Rin." The tai-youkai said. "It is I who failed you this time."

Rin shook her head vigorously. "No, Sesshoumaru-sama. You did more than required to save me. I am here now and I am safe, you saved me again, at great cost to yourself. Me, a lowly human."

"Why did you not want me to apologize yesterday?" Sesshoumaru questioned her, "You knew I was about to admit my weakness to you."

"Sesshoumaru-sama never admits weakness," Rin said fiercely, "I didn't want to hear it then, or ever. Then he would not be Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru was impressed with Rin's loyalty to him. "All things change, Rin. If they did not, life would be... boring."

"Rin does not understand."

Sesshoumaru noticed she was still referring to herself in the third-person, which meant she was frightened or being extremely polite. He knew he had to speak gently to avoid upsetting her. "You changed, Rin, and I did too. You are not a little girl anymore, but a young woman. I have changed as well."

"Sesshoumaru-sama looks the same."

"I mean I have changed _inside_." The tai-youkai said. "The things that used to mean so much to me don't mean so much to me anymore. Other things have come to take importance in my life. When you were young Rin, you begged me for dolls and sea-shells...Do you remember the year when I asked you what you wanted for your birthday and you said you wanted a book of poetry? That year, you changed. It's the same with me, Rin. I don't want some things now, I want others."

Rin's heart was beating faster than it had in a long time. It was not like Sesshoumaru-sama at all to speak for so long about himself or to use such tender words. What was he trying to say?

"Do you understand me, Rin?" The tai-youkai took her broken fingers in his.

"N-Not really, Sesshoumaru-sama..."

"Rin, it hurts me that I failed to rescue you in time. That I let these little fingers be broken. It hurts me because your life has come to be very important to me. Yes, your 'lowly' human life is not lowly to me any more, Rin, nor can I honestly say it ever was lowly to me. _Tenseiga_ I could let go... _you_ I could not. If you have made me lose some things, you should know that I willingly give them up for you. I realized that I never wanted to lose you when I found myself searching for ways to prolong your human life, I have been searching for an elixir for eight years, Rin, because I do not want you to leave me."

"Rin can stay with Sesshoumaru-sama forever?"

"Sesshoumaru wants Rin with him forever."

"Then Rin is happy." Rin rested her head on his shoulder. "Rin was afraid that Sesshoumaru-sama would see Rin as a liability, that he would want to get rid of her. Rin is honoured that Sesshoumaru-sama wants to prolong her human life, but Rin also knows the truth now, that Rin's human life can end and that she might die one day. Sesshoumaru-sama...if Rin dies, will you please not forget Rin?"

"I will never forget you, Rin."

Rin nodded, "And I will never forget you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Take these, Rin. I notice an empty patch in your garden." Sesshoumaru let go of Rin's hand and Rin was surprised to see tiny brown seeds lying on her open palm. She could not close her broken fingers over them so they lay there, shining in the early winter sun.

"What are these?"  
"Shoujinya seeds."

"_Shoujinya_!" Rin exclaimed, "How did you get them?"

"I believe you gave me a flower some time ago. I thought it should not be waste- from what I remember, the shoujinya is an extremely rare flower. I myself have not seen one for nearly two hundred years."

"Two hundred years!" Rin's eyes widened, it was statements like these that reminded her how old Sesshoumaru was in comparison to her. "Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama! But Rin will wait till spring to plant these, because it is too cold now."

Sesshoumaru smiled, "That is Shoujinya's other secret, Rin. It is an evergreen flower that blooms in winter as well as in summer. You can plant it today, even though the autumn leaves are falling."

"Sugoi! Wonderful...But Rin's h-hands...Rin's fingers...Rin's f-fingers cannot do it...So Rin will ask Reka and Kyoko to help."

"Do as you wish."

Rin shook the handful of seeds in her hands. "There will be flowers in the snow this year, Sesshoumaru-sama. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Yes."

Sesshoumaru saw an excited pink flush on the white of Rin's cheeks. The girl leaned closer to him and Sesshoumaru's nose filled with the musk of her excitement and pleasure. It made him happy too. Slowly, he put his hand over Rin's open palm. The girl looked surprised but didn't draw her hand away.

Rin was surprised by Sesshoumaru's show of affection. It was like when she was a little girl, but yet not. She didn't know what he expected her to do, so she sat there stiffly, his hand over hers. After a while, she began to relax, and she felt his clawed fingertips running over her palm. Things changed, Sesshoumaru-sama had said. She had changed, and so had he. He had never touched her like this before... was this part of the change he spoke of?

For the first time since regaining consciousness, Rin smiled.

Change, was good.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Come down from that tree, hanyou." Sesshoumaru eyed his younger half-brother with distaste.

"I can hear you perfectly well from up here... a hanyou's hearing is quite good, you know."

Sesshoumaru frowned in irritation. "It is not civilized for you to laze about in that manner, especially in my palace."

"Keh! I will laze wherever I want. If you've come to look for me, it must be important so I know you'll say it whether I come down there and look at your snobbish face or not!"

Sesshoumaru swallowed his urge to _dokkasou_ Inuyasha and spoke again, "I suppose Kagome has already told you about Naraku's search for Souunga."

"Yeah, and I wish that fricken' bastard would just die already."

"You sitting in that tree is unlikely to achieve that purpose." Sesshoumaru said bitingly, "I propose that we pre-empt Naraku's attempt to control chichiue's sword by finding out what we can about it."

"Finding out?" Inuyasha's attention was roused and he sat up and stared down at his brother. "Who can we find out from?"

"That old youkai...Toutousai."

"Toutousai is an old fool," Inuyasha barked, "He gets more boggle minded every year, it is unlikely he remembers anything about Souunga or any other sword. Anyway, we already know Souunga's powers don't we? _Gokuryuuha _attack can cause hell to rise up on earth. What more do we need to know? We still have Tessaiga, I say we simply chop up the jerk when we see him."

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha with distaste, "Fool, that is precisely what we cannot do...don't you remember that you need both Tenseiga and Tessaiga to defeat Souunga?"

"Eh?..."

"Naraku has my sword Tenseiga now," Sesshoumaru growled as he said this, "The combined powers of Souunga and Tenseiga will overpower that of Tessaiga...and though Toukijin is powerful, chichiue's sword still carries more power."

"Keh, it's time I visited Sango and Miroku anyway..." Inuyasha mused aloud, "They'll be wondering where the heck we are...it's been nearly a week since we parted ways."

"If you had not been so set on staying with Kagome, you would have been able to go with them to track Naraku's shouki."

"Like I would leave Kagome alone with _you_, you bloodthirsty maniac."

"Come down from that tree and say that again."

"Fat chance."

"Coward."

"Jerk."

"Well why didn't you visit those ningen friends of yours during the last two weeks anyway?"

Inuyasha scratched his head, "I...I didn't want to leave Kagome alone..." he admitted at last.

"I thought as much," Sesshoumaru said, a small snicker on his face, "That miko is carrying your child already, isn't she Inuyasha? Every youkai in this palace could smell it the moment she arrived"

Inuyasha blushed bright red, "So what?"

"So I'm saying if you want to protect her, you had better come with me to speak to that old bat toutousai before all hell breaks loose."

Inuyasha leapt down from the tree. "Okay, okay, I'll go speak to toutousai. Anyway, Tessaiga's been acting all weird too...lately, it's been shaking and vibrating in the sheath."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "You should have told me earlier, Inuyasha."

"Why?"

"We must leave this palace soon. Tessaiga must be reacting to the power of the other two swords, it is a magnet to where we are."

"Kagome will want to come with us," Inuyasha said worriedly, "She doesn't know she is pregnant yet and that wench is as stubborn as they come."

Sesshoumaru blinked his golden eyes. "Your miko woman may stay here with Rin, if you like. I need her to look after Rin, who is not fully healed yet."

"What? And act as one of Rin's servants? I think not."

"Kagome and Rin are friends, I do not treat your woman as a servant. Besides, I worry about Rin being left alone here."

Inuyasha tapped tessaiga's sheath and smirked. "Letting _two_ human women stay in your palace? Why Sesshoumaru, what happened to that oath you swore when you chased me out of your palace. Let's see now...how did that go..._I will never suffer another human to step into this Palace of the West_."

"All things change."

"Well, if that's how you see it..."

"We leave in a week."

"Whatever, but I'm still gonna visit Miroku and Sango somehow. Kagome would insist."

"As you wish." Turning away from Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru strode into his study. Speaking with his half-brother always put him in a bad mood. If he were not so indebted to Kagome, he would have sliced Inuyasha through with Toukijin without hesitation. To think that the idiot hanyou had not spoken sooner about tessaiga's strange vibration...the fact that Tessaiga was vibrating was not good news at all. Searching through his father's scrolls, Sesshoumaru looked for information on the _Sanshinken_: three divine swords, one of heaven, one of earth and one of the underworld.

When he was still alive, Inutaisho had mentioned the scale of their combined power to Sesshoumaru, and Sesshoumaru had a bad feeling that Naraku knew about it too.


	12. Chapter 12: True Music

_**Thank you for your reviews, updating is my most sincere way of showing gratitude!**_

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 12: True Music**

After the Kamioroshi, Rin's nightmares stopped and the girl began to improve. It was now some time since the terrible incident and Kagome was at last satisfied that Rin was well on the mend. The only thing that bothered Kagome was that the girl had lost confidence in herself, and was quiet and overly shy.

Jaken had a different approach to the altered Rin altogether. Previously fond of scolding and teasing her, he was now at a loss how to deal with the quiet, sorrowful woman. It was worse that he felt it was his fault she was kidnapped. If only he had been more alert that night. He fussed over her constantly, bringing her trinkets and delicacies to try to cheer her up, till Rin had told him finally, "Jaken-sama, no more hair-ribbons! I only have one head!"

"Ak, Rin..." the little toad retainer patted her arm, "Jaken only wants to see you pretty and smiling again."

Rin smiled sadly at him. "I know, Jaken-sama, but Rin still has a sadness in her heart."

"You can tell Jaken about it, surely?" Jaken gave a 'humph' as he tapped his toe impatiently on the ground.

Rin looked at her broken fingers. "Rin will never be the same again."

"Stupid girl!" Jaken scolded gently, "If you are worried about the shamisen, forget it! There are more important things in this world."

Rin nodded, "Hai, I know Jaken. But the fact that I can never play again will always remind me of that day."

"Rin-chan?"

Jaken opened the shoji-door to let Kagome in.

"This girl is foolish and moody," he declared huffily, "See if you can cheer her up. Her face is so long these days it could touch the floor."

He looked to see if his joke had made Rin smile, but the girl simply stared at him.

Kagome and Rin sat on a stone bench in Rin's private garden. This was the first time Rin had brought her to see it. Kagome was stunned by its beauty. The flowers here were far more beautiful and more abundant than in any other part of the castle. Red, blue, yellow, pink, white... all bloomed with a fiery splendor even though it was already autumn. Sakura trees lined the gorgeous pavilion, and a little stream flowed through it all.

"I planted all of these," Rin said quietly to Kagome, as she touched the white blooms of a peony bush, "The peonies, the roses and chrysanthemums. We collect the specimens on our travels."

"They are beautiful, Rin."

Rin rose from the bench and stopped by a patch of young seedlings. "This is the newest."

"What is it?"

"Shoujinya...the Flame of the Night. Sesshoumaru gave me the seeds a few days ago."

Kagome had heard of the extremely rare flower from Kaede-bachan before and she wondered where Sesshoumaru had managed to get hold of its seeds since the flower was said to have been extinct in Japan for hundreds of year understood. Kaede had told her, that Kikyo had told _her_, that the Shoujinya was a flower with many magical qualities, not all which were fully understood. If a miko ever found it, it would be a great flower to have, but Kikyo had also told her that the flower was extinct.

"Where did you get it, Rin? This flower is supposed to be extinct!"

Rin smiled, "Absolutely by chance! I was walking by a muddy river-bank and saw a beautiful yellow flower blooming in the dirt. I don't know what made me bend to pluck it, but it seemed important at that time. I couldn't leave it lying there in the mud, and now, it will flourish in this palace."

"So-deska. Many good things happen by chance, Rin. And sometimes we don't know why they happen till much later."

"Sesshoumaru-sama says it will bloom even in winter, amid the whiteness and coldness, this Shoujinya will brighten the place."

"You are very fortunate to find it, Rin."

"You know, Kagome-sama, I always think it is the flower that was fortunate to be found...if not, it might have withered and died in that muddy river-bed."

"Both of you were fortunate."

"I have to sit down." Rin sat on the stone bench, suddenly giddy. Although she had healed rapidly since the kamioroshi, she was still weak and prone to faints. Kagome smoothed Rin's hair gently and the young girl leaned into Kagome for security.

Kagome knew that Rin was not fully healed yet. She was too serious and quiet. She seemed to have lost confidence in herself.

"I was very frightened, Kagome-sama." Rin said suddenly.

Kagome perked up, this was the first time Rin had spoken of the ordeal she went through.

"Of course you were Rin. But you were very brave too."

"He broke my fingers."

"Yes."

Rin stroked her broken fingers against each other. They were healing but were stiff and could not bend properly. She could not bear to even _look_ at her shamisen, much less ever _play_ it again. But aside from what she had told Jaken, there was another matter that was weighing on her mind.

"He took off my clothes and scratched a word into my stomach. It felt very wrong."

"I know, Rin."

"For the first time in my life, I felt shame." Rin clutched her kimono around her tightlt.

"It was a hard way to learn it, for sure."

"But it was in the past. Sesshoumaru-sama came to save me, and I am grateful...so I want to go forward and move on with life."

Kagome admired Rin greatly. It had taken her courage to say those words, and Kagome knew she meant them.

"Sesshoumaru cares a lot about you, Rin."

"He is searching for a way to make me immortal, so I can stay with him forever."

"Huh?" Kagome was surprised, "He said that?"

"Yes. But we have not been successful so far."

"Rin, what will you do by Sesshoumaru's side if you were to become immortal?"

Rin smiled, "We will travel together and see many wonderful sights. He will teach me lessons from those great books in his study and we will read poetry together. We will sit in his garden and admire the flowers, and thus _forever_ will be wonderful."

"Rin-chan..." Kagome almost felt guilty that she had the shikon-no-tama inside her to make her immortal. Rin deserved the same, but that particular method was now closed to her. "...Do you not want a husband who will love you and give you children?"

"Iye," Rin said, "I am happy enough."

Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru taking a human wife was unimaginable, despite his great care for Rin. The tai-youkai despised all humans, so it was puzzling to her the relationship betweem Sesshoumaru and Rin. The tai-youkai and human girl existed in a kind of emotional limbo – that of obedience, loyalty and affection...and yet, seemingly without commitment or love from his side.

"Rin," Kagome was shaking her gently, "It's time for lunch."

"Hai." Slowly, the slim girl got to her feet and leaned on Kagome for support. The two women exited the garden arm in arm. They made their way to the dining hall only to see the half-brothers seated at opposite ends of the table glaring at each other. This was not an unusual occurrence, it simply meant some fight or other during the course of the day.

Sesshoumaru did not eat, he was there simply to make sure Rin ate her food, though he need not have worried because Kagome also made sure of that, feeding Rin like a baby from a spoon (from the future) since Rin herself could not hold chopsticks properly with her damaged fingers. Inuyasha slurped up two bowls of rice under his brother's disapproving eye.

Kagome prepared to spoon the soup into Rin's mouth as the girl sat patiently, waiting for her food.

"No." Sesshoumaru's deep voice cut through the silence of the dining hall. "Today, she will feed herself."

"But Sesshoumaru, her fingers are not yet..." Kagome stopped talking as she watched Rin take the spoon clumsily in her hand and attempt to feed herself. The girl really was totally obedient to Sesshoumaru.

Rin ate slowly. Her still-crooked fingers shook and eating was a long, slow process for her. In frustration, she clutched the spoon clumsily and raised the rice to her mouth. Half of it fell off the spoon. She repeated this action, and again half fell off. Kagome watched Rin with sympathy but admiration as the girl finished her food.

That day, Rin's rice was flavoured with the salt of her tears.

At supper-time, the same command was given by Sesshoumaru. "Rin, feed yourself."

Again, Rin clutched the spoon in her hand and clumsily tried to lift the food to her mouth. Kagome and Inuyasha watched her grimly. Suddenly, there was a crash as the green tea cup slipped out of Rin's stiff fingers, spilling over her kimono. With a cry, Rin swept the broken cup and her half-eaten dinner off the table.

"I can't do this!"

"I will feed you, "Kagome said placatingly, putting a new set of food before her, and taking the spoon into her own hands.

"No. She will continue to feed herself." Sesshoumaru said.

"Heartless bastard." Inuyasha muttered under his breath.

Rin took the spoon from Kagome again and began the difficult process of feeding herself. Kagome and Inuyasha sat there, their own meals long finished waiting for Rin to finish. The effort was tremendous for Rin whose fingers trembled and shook to hold the spoon steady. Tears streamed down her face, but the girl continued till the last scrap of rice was cleared from her bowl. Then with a cry, she leapt up from her seat and ran from the room, leaving the shoji door wide open behind her.

"Poor girl," murmured Kagome, "Perhaps it is too soon."

Sesshoumaru rose and bowed to Kagome. To his half-brother he merely nodded slightly.

"You made Rin cry, you heartless wretch!" Inuyasha said. The kind-hearted hanyou found his brother's behaviour unnecessarily cruel.

"What I do is my concern." Sesshoumaru said, leaving the room.

He went to his private rooms and summoned Kyoko.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?" the kitsune handmaiden bowed low before her master.

"Bring Rin's shamisen here, and fetch Rin also."

"R-Rin's shamisen? B-But she cannot play...her fingers are damaged!"

"Do you question me?"

"N-No. Gomen Sesshoumaru-sama, I will fetch both at once."

Kyoko wisely brought Rin's shamisen to the room first before bringing Rin, the girl absolutely refused to look at the shamisen and who knows what she might have done if informed she would have to play it for Sesshoumaru.

"You wanted to see me, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin knelt on the floor before him, her head bowed deferentially.

"I want you to play this for me."

Rin looked up at where he was pointing, and gasped.

Her shamisen.

"No!"

"Rin, you _will_ play the shamisen for me."

Although it took every fibre in her being to resist him, Rin managed a second, "No!"

Sesshoumaru simply repeated himself calmly, knowing that Rin never refused him for too long. "Rin, play the shamisen for me."

Stretching out her stiff fingers, she took the instrument into her arms, her fingers brushed over the strings.

"Onegai, Sesshoumaru-sama...Rin does not want to play."

"Rin, play 'The Song Of The River In Spring' that you were learning last."

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, tears in her eyes, Rin plucked clumsily at the strings. The notes, once so easy to her dextrous little fingers, now were difficult beyond belief. Sometimes she plucked two notes when she meant to pluck one, sometimes one when she meant to pluck two. She could not pluck the correct string with her right hand nor press the correct string with her left. The 'Song Of The River In Spring' came out mangled and halting, a parody of itself. Finally, Rin stopped at the last note, tears pouring down her cheeks. She put the shamisen down and buried her face in her hands, her body racked with silent sobs.

The mangled notes of the shamisen had faded away in the night air, but their discordance still rang in Rin's ears as if she were still playing that awful piece. Why was Sesshoumaru-sama humiliating her like this? Wasn't it bad enough she endured feeding herself clumsily for his sake? To make her play for him with her damaged fingers was a humiliation more than she could bear.

When Rin took her hands from her face at last, she was surprised to see Sesshoumaru kneeling on the tatami in front of her. The shamisen had been moved to the side.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru's voice was more gentle than she had ever heard it before. He took her mangled fingers in his hands and held them with a tenderness she found wonderfully familiar and reassuring. ""You have no confidence because you think you are broken and may not return to your former ability. That is why I had to start making you use your fingers again, because I do not believe that you are broken. You _will_ use your fingers again Rin. Look at me."

Rin raised her eyes to his. Sesshoumaru's face glowed gently in the lamp light, it was the face she had grown up with and learned to trust. So he had not meant to humiliate her, he had only meant to help her.

Sesshoumaru enjoyed the soft pressure of Rin's fingers in his own. It had been a long time since he had held them like this. In the soft glow of the lamp, his beautiful Rin glowed softly like the golden shoujinya flowers of the South. There was an ache in his heart: this young woman he had nurtured and protected from a child to adulthood, was more beautiful, more precious, more dear to him than any treasure in his palace.

Rin would stay with him through everything, she cared not that he was a bloodthirsty demon, she cared not that he was proud, she cared not that he had failed to protect her. Her undying faith in him made his life worth living, did it matter that she would fade and die with time? No, all that mattered was that she was alive now and she was here with him... what more did he want? Sesshoumaru looked at her full lips and knew what more he wanted... though he stopped himself from doing it. He did not want to alarm her, it was too soon to speak of such matters. Instead, he raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them.

Rin drew a sharp breath. Her Sesshoumaru-sama's lips were soft as silk. This was like a week ago when he had covered her hands with his own in her garden. Why was he touching her so much more, these days? And yet, why did it always never seem enough for her? She wanted those soft lips to touch more of her, she imagined them trailing up her neck to her cheek.

Sesshoumaru watched a blush begin to grow on Rin's cheeks. She had never blushed in his presence before. Her smell changed to the warm spice of desire, yearning and confusion. This was enough for tonight, for both of them. The tai-youkai let go of Rin's small fingers. If he understood her smell correctly, it would soon be time to give her the kubikazari his mother had left him.

"Rin, I want you to practise your shamisen again."

"Hai."

"Because true music, Rin, comes from the heart, not from the fingers."


	13. Chapter 13: Partings

**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 13: Partings**

"Ah! Sesshoumaru-sama, the sea is so beautiful at dawn!" Rin stood in the shallows, her slippers behind her, and let the little waves lap at her bare feet. Sesshoumaru had requested she walk with him to the shore near his palace this morning. It was something he did not often do in the cold of autumn, so she was rather surprised at his request. As a child in summer, she would strip off her kimono and run into the water...the memory made her uneasy now, and the thought of Sesshoumaru-sama looking at her naked body brought a blush to her cheeks. Things indeed had changed.

"How are you feeling these days, Rin?"

"Much better, Sesshoumaru-sama. My fingers are stronger."

"Good."

Rin closed her eyes and let the cool sea breeze blow through her hair. Sesshoumaru watched as the glints of red dawn sun were caught in her hair and sparkled there like rubies. At that moment, watching her bare-foot and wild-haired in the water, he felt he had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. His hand closed around an object in his yukata sleeve. He had been right to bring this, it had always been Rin.

"Rin, I am going away today for a short journey."

"Nani?" Rin opened her brown eyes and looked at him in dismay. "But we just got home!"

"When you were in your death-sleep, you told us that you saw Naraku searching for _Souunga_...my father's sword. I cannot let this matter rest here, if he should get hold of Souunga and Tenseiga, Naraku could be very troublesome, especially if her gets it into his head to acquire Tessaiga as well. The combined power of the _sanshinken_ could split heaven and earth in two."

"Can I come with you?" Rin said without much hope.

"No, not this time. You are not yet healed. Inuyasha and Jaken will go with me."

Rin stepped out of the waves and shook her feet dry. Her kimono rose over her slender calves as she did so, though she shyly covered as much of her leg as possible. From her modest action, Sesshoumaru knew that Rin had learned what it meant to be a woman, albeit through a terrible ordeal.

"Where are you going?"

"To Toutousai, to ask him about the swords, then on to Naraku."

"I see." Rin slipped on her slippers and flexed her broken but healing fingers. "I cannot go with you now, you are absolutely right. When will you be back?"

"When I have killed Naraku."

"Oh." Rin didn't like the tone of his indefinite answer. She walked over to where he stood and placed her small hands on his shoulders. "Abunai...be careful, Sesshoumaru-sama. I will wait for you."

Sesshoumaru-sama was pleased at her bold action. She was not afraid to touch him or speak to him. To Rin, he was just Sesshoumaru-sama, and he liked that. Her body so close to his was also having a incredible effect on all his youkai senses, he could hear her heart beating steadily, feel her breath on his skin, smell the sea-perfume of her hair mixed with the warm scent of her trust in him.

"Are you still wearing the kotodama rosary Kagome gave you?"

Rin nodded.

Sesshoumaru took a small object out of his left kimono sleeve and held it out to her.

"Take it off and wear this from now on."

Rin took the object in her hands. It was the finest piece of jewellery Rin had ever received from Sesshoumaru. The other trinkets he had given her – coral beads and little silver pins – paled beside this work of art. A string of pearls, each as large as a rose-hip, white as the moon in Mid-Autumn, fastened with a golden clasp and set with a yellow diamond, lay in her hand. It reminded Rin of...Sesshoumaru-sama.

"I...I...Rin can't accept this. It is too fine a kubikazari."

Rin caught her breath and tried to push the necklace back into Sesshoumaru's hands, but the tai-youkai covered her hands with his own and pushed them towards her.

"I will help you fasten it."

There was no room for argument. Sesshoumaru first removed the kotodama rosary from her neck and Rin put it into her sleeve. Then., Sesshoumaru took the necklace from her and put it gently around her neck. Rin held her long hair back to help him and in a second, the necklace was in place.

"The kubikazari has a powerful blessing on it," Sesshoumaru stroked Rin's cheek with his left hand, and she caught his hand in her own and held her face against it. "It will protect you in times of darkness."

"I can feel it, arigatou gozaimasu...arigatou gozaimsu...Rin will look after it."

"Rin," Sesshoumaru took his hand from her cheek and turned to the sea, "You are not to leave this palace, do you understand? You are safe here, and Kagome-sama is going to remain with you. No matter what, you must wait here for me."

Rin was still touching the necklace about her neck, almost in total shock that Sesshoumaru-sama would give her such a fine gift.

"Hai...Sesshoumaru-sama."

"I want you to think about something when I am gone. It is something you can only do when I am not around to influence you."

"What is it, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru continued looking at the sea, "Knowing that you will one day age and face death, can you bear to live by my side and watch me continue as I am now? And if you continue by my side, in what capacity do you want to continue? As my daughter? Or my companion? Or have you other needs that you think I can meet?"

Rin was blushing before him again. These small gestures of Sesshoumaru...the increased attention he showed her, the way he touched her and spoke to her confused her and yet made her happy. She could not name the feeling it produced in her, she had never known it before.

"The necklace is yours to keep, whatever decision you make," Sesshoumaru turned from the sea to face Rin, "I could never give it to anyone else."

The strange couple on the beach – statuesque tai-youkai and petite human girl – walked back to his palace. Sesshoumaru watched Rin skip over the paving stones that lined the path back, he was pleased at her recovery. Very soon, Rin would be as she used to be before. On the path ahead, Rin paused in her skipping and looked back at Sesshoumaru behind her. The silver-haired dog demon nodded slowly at her to show her he was following. To his surprise, Rin blushed and looked down, her long lashes fluttering against her pink cheeks, before turning from him and running the rest of the way home. Sesshoumaru let a small smile escape his lips and allowed himself to indulge in a sensation which he had come to know only after rescuing Rin: yes, she made him so very happy.

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"Ohayo Myouga-jichan!" the little boy shrieked as the flea youkai leapt into the hut.

"Nami-o...Nami-o..! How good it is to see everyone!" The flea jumped onto the little boy's cheek and sucked till he grew fat.

slap The little boy clapped a hand over the tiny youkai, laughing as he did so.

"Took you long enough to get here, Myouga-jichan" Sango said, putting a bowl of porridge in front of her son, Miru. She turned towards the open door of the hut and yelled, "Miho! This is the third time I've called you in! Oka and Otou are leaving in a few minutes and we want to see you get a good breakfast first so that we know you won't give Kaede-bachan any trouble!"

A little girl of eight ran into the hut, red with good health and exercise. "Gomenasai Oka, I was practising my Ninjado and didn't want to stop. Want to see my Flying Kick?"

Sango laughed, "Not in here, Miho. You can show me later. Now sit down and have your porridge, Myouga-jichan has arrived as scheduled to show us the way to the Palace of the West. Oka and Otou are leaving this morning."

Miho pulled a face, "Must you?"

"Now, Miho, don't argue with your Oka," Miroku said, entering the hut, "Mmm, I smell porridge..."

"Ohayo, Miroku!" Myouga leapt up and down on the table, "It's been a long time!"

"Oka, who is the Lord of the Palace of the West?" the little boy asked, eating his porridge obediently.

"Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's older brother."

"Is he a rich, powerful Lord?"

"I suppose," sighed Sango, "Eat up, don't talk with your mouth full."

"Then why is Inuyasha so poor?"

Miroku and Sango laughed. "Because Inuyasha doesn't care for that kind of thing, children."

"Is he a handsome Lord? Is he tall, powerful and graceful?" Miho asked brightly. Recently, Miho had taken to drawing handsome princes and beautiful princesses with the crayons Kagome had given her.

"Well, mmm...yes, actually." Sango said, avoiding Miroku's eyes. Miroku turned green with jealousy.

"Oka, why is Otou turning green?" Miru asked innocently.

"Does Sesshoumaru-sama have a Beautiful Lady?" Miho persisted.

"Of course, silly!" her brother Miru scolded her, "Handsome Lords always have a Beautiful Lady by their side!"

"How come Sesshoumaru-sama never visits Inuyasha?"

"That's enough," Miroku knew that his children had reached the stage of asking 500 questions in a row. It could get very tiring for all adults concerned. "Myouga, what took you so long to get here? We sent Kirara to get you a week ago!"

"Erm...let's see..." Myouga scratched his head, "Where was I? Oh yes, the poppy fields in the south..." A blissful look crept of Myouga's face. "Poppy seed is almost better than blood..."

"You haven't been eating poppy seeds again, have you, Myouga?" Sango scolded, "You know how dangerous those seeds are!"

"Well, what's an old man to do in his old age...tiny bit of pleasure...such sweet dreams..."

"If we had known you were going to take so long, we would have asked Shippou to bring us instead." Miroku said crossly. "Poppy-seed addiction! Really, Myouga...you should be ashamed of yourself!"

"That young kitsune whelp? His nose couldn't sniff out the Palace of the West when it is filled with all that perfume from the village girls!"

"Mmm, I smell porridge..." A whirl of red and green burst into the hut. Sixteen year old Shippou plonked himself down at the table and helped himself to a large bowl of porridge. Myouga the flea looked disapprovingly at him, and said, "Ohayo Shippou, and how were the village girls this morning?"

"Ohayo Shippou-chan!" Sango said cheerfully. "As you can see, Myouga is here at last, we are going to the West today. We leave our children and the village in your care!"

"He certainly took his time about it!" Shippou said, flicking Myouga off the table, "I told you you should have let me bring you. My otou told me all about the Palace in the West, he has been there before. I could bring you there and protect you as well!"

"You'd get lost, you young whelp!" Myouga scolded, jumping back on the table.

"I would not, old man!"

"That's right, Shippou is the cleverest, strongest youkai in the world!" said Miho and Miru in unison. Shippou winked at them.

"Kirara! We're ready to go!" Sango called to her cat.

"Meeep!" squeaked Kirara obediently.

"Now don't you kids give Kaede-bachan a hard time!" Sango said. "Miho, you are to take care of your younger brother, you hear me?"

"Hai, Oka!"

"And Shippou, if you try anything funny with the village girls when we're gone, don't expect us to fix the mess for you when we come back!"

"Me?" Shippou said, grinning. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"We'll let Souten-oneesama know you've been cheating on her!" Miru piped up brightly.

Shippou immediately sobered up. Of all his on-again-off-again girlfriends, the thunder demoness Souten was the only one he respected and feared enough to actually keep in line for. More than once had he felt the sharp sting of her lightning bolt on his behind. He never understood why Miho and Miru were so fond of Souten, each time she visited, they were all over her, even abandoning Kagome and Sango for her. He suspected it had something to do with her Acorn Whirl attack which were pretty delicious snacks if roasted on one of her lighting bolts...

Miroku finished his porridge and glanced over the scene of domestic bliss in his house. His beautiful wife and two children, his friends Shippou and Myouga...what more could a man want in life? This had all been possible only after Naraku had been defeated, no way was he going to let Naraku take it all away again. He couldn't lose all of this...No, Naraku wouldn't come back, he and Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru would defeat him again just like the first time...He couldn't lose all of this...

"Well, nice seeing you kids" Myouga said, hopping up and down...

"Sango..." Miroku said suddenly, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Anata?" Sango said, looking up from packing.

"Otouto!" Miho yelled as Miroku crashed to the floor, clutching his right hand.

"Stay away!" Shippou grabbed Miho and Miru and dragged them to the side.

"Sango..."

"Anata!"

"What's happening? What's happening?" Myouga leapt up and down in distress. A cry came from the village, followed by several explosions and more cries.

"It's Kaede-baba! I smell youkai!" Shippou cried. Miho and Miru were white and frightened, clinging to the kitsune for comfort.

"Get away and hide!" Sango yelled, "All of you!" Miroku lay in her arms, in mortal agony as he felt the flesh on his right palm splitting open. He couldn't lose all of this...

"I-will-fight-too..."

"No!"  
"If he's going to give kazaana back to me, he should know what he's in for!"

"Your kazaana has returned? Oh dear...oh dear..." Myouga leapt up and down, "This can mean only one thing..."

Miroku staggered to his feet, his wife supporting him. Shippou had already unsheathed his dagger and Miho and Miru were clutching short blades.

"What are you doing?" Sango said, her face pinched with distress, "Children I told you to go and hide!"  
"We're taijiya, Oka...we want to fight too..." Miho said bravely.

"You don't understand, this is not a normal youkai!" Sango nearly screamed at them. "_Go_ and _hide_!"

Sango and Shippou leapt out of the hut, closely followed by Miroku and Myouga. Outside, what had been a peaceful village morning was completely destroyed. Villagers ran about screaming as the the earth heaved and cracked under their feet. Something was emerging from the ground under their feet. Additionally, above them a plague of enormous eagle youkai, not unlike the evil winged monsters of the defeated bird-princess Abi-Hime, swooped around the village, belching fire and ash. Kaede and a group of villagers were firing arrows and throwing spears at any youkai as fast as they could but their number was just too many. The eagle youkai swooped and screamed, knocking weapons out of villager's hands.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" Sango's enormous bone-boomering cut a deadly swathe in the mass of eagles. Bird wings and blood fell onto the village.

"KITSUNE-BI!" Shippou let out a blast of fox-fire at the eagles. No longer was his fox fire the weak illusory form of his childhood, it was a powerful hot fire that clung and maddened. Enraged and burning, the eagle-youkai screamed and retreated.

The earth shook and cracked again and Sango and Shippou fell to the floor. "It's an earthquake!" Shippou gasped.

"Run to Inuyasha forest!" Kaede commanded. "Get out of this place!"

The earth shook and houses and people disappeared into the earth.

"Okaa!" Sango turned at the sound of her childrens' voices. Miho was holding Miru by the hand, expertly fighting a eagle-youkai that was trying to attack them.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango took out the youkai attacking her children and several others as well.

"Run to Inuyasha forest!" Kaede yelled again. "The birds cannot attack us with the trees overhead!"

"You make a run for it! I'll hold them off!" Still white with pain from the re-opening of his Kazaana, Miroku crawled to a sheltered place and unbound his rosary. "I don't know if you're from Naraku or not, but take this....KA-ZAA-NA!" Shrieking, the birds were sucked into Miroku's open palm, beads of sweat appeared on Miroku's forehead from the effort of the kazaana.

"NO!"

Miroku was tackled by Sango and Shippou.

"They've got the villagers!" Shippou yelled, pointing to the eagles. "You can't absorb them!"

Miroku looked up and saw it was true, the birds were carrying away live and dead bodies of villagers.

"Let's run to the forest, the birds can't get us there and the ground feels like it's going to give way." Sango looked around for her children.

"OKAAASAN! OTOUTO!"

Sango's heart stopped. Miroku looked up.

"Miho! Miru!" They watched as two enormous eagles flew away with their children in their claws.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" Sango leapt into action, but the two eagles swerved, avoiding the boomerang.

"RAAAAAWWWRR!" Kirara leapt into the sky, in hot pursuit of the two children. The fire-cat was attacked by two enormous eagles but she bit them dead in the sky. Their bodies dropped to earth.

"Kirara! Bring back my children!" Sango screamed.

Kirara flew as fast as he could after Miho and Miru. The two children were screaming their lungs out, as were the other live villagers taken by the other eagles. Miroku saw the fire-cat losing the chase and at that moment made a decision.

"Sango, go and fetch Inuyasha and Kagome!" he called to his wife.

"ANATA!" Sango screamed as she saw Miroku dash into the open and offer himself to an enormous eagle-youkai.

Her husband smiled at her as he was lifted into the sky.

"Let's go!" Shippou grabbed Sango and flipped her over his shoulder, dashing with her into Inuyasha forest.

A group of weeping, cowering villagers were hiding under some fallen logs in a thicket, among them, Kaede-bachan. Pitiful cries of "Nesan! Oka!" could be heard. Nearly three quarters of the village had been taken by the eagles, whether alive or dead.

"Let me go! I want to follow my children!" Sango thrashed in Shippou's arms. The kitsune teen was surprisingly tough with Sango. He gave the taijiya a hard slap on the face and she gasped.

"Sango! Miroku gave you a task...you were to fetch Inuyasha and Kagome!" Shippou suddenly looked surprisingly grown up for his sixteen years. Sango buried her head in his shoulder and wept.

"Pull yourself together Sango," Kaede said gently. Shippou noticed the old woman had been badly wounded, her arm was bleeding profusely. "Miroku was right, we need Inuyasha to deal with this. Naraku is back and this is serious."

"Meeep! Meeeep!" And exhausted Kirara ran into the thicket and hid in Sango's arms. The taijiya buried her face in her pet's fur.

"Where are they taking our relatives and friends?" asked a villager in a frightened voice.

"To the Black Palace" answered Kaede gravely.

"What?"

Kaede-bachan pulled back the leaves that hung thickly around them and pointed grimly to the distance. The villagers crowded around the opening curiously. Against the blue sky and just beyond the fields of the village rose a towering monster of a castle. It was black and clouded with red fog, and the eagles could be seen flying to its topmost turret. Just the sight of it caused the villagers to tremble.

"Th-The Black Palace? Where d-did it come from?" Shippou said in a small voice.

Kaede sat down and tightened the tourniquet on her arm. "Didn't you feel that earthquake? That accursed Palace rose right out of the ground...from _hell_."


	14. Chapter 14: A Taijiya Is Here

**HI everyone, sorry for the long absence! was having problems with its uploading for a week, and then I re-installed my OS on my desktop to deal with a virus problem!**

**To all my many reviewers, I am certainly overwhelmed and touched. A few special notes to various people:**

Yohko no Gothika – Please feel free to do a derivative fan work or take characters. I own nothing, Rumiko Takahashi owns everything. I tried to contact you but you have no email address listed on your fanfiction profile page. Thank you and Bridget so much for your encouraging words.

Evil Squeede – I know exactly how you feel about Sunrise Animation. Let's hope that Guren no Houraijima in December continues the saga for us!

Buyo-chan – I am Chinese too, and I'm glad you picked up the Autumn Moon comparison for Rin's pearls. I always thought that Zhong Qiu Jie had the loveliest moon in the year.

Everyone else – thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope you will all keep reviewing, because I hope to finish this story before the end of the year and you would have been part of something very special to me.

**And now, finally, at long last...on with the story! **

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**Flowers In The Snow**

**Chapter 14: A Taijiya Is Here**

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha took three days to reach Toutousai, who lived not far from Inuyasha's village in the East. Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru couldn't risk traveling as light energy now, the vast jyaki that required might rouse Naraku's suspicions. Sesshoumaru was worried that if they did not accost Naraku in time, the evil demon would attack the Palace of the West where Rin was. Inuyasha was mad with worry about Miroku and Sango, Naraku's shouki was emanating in the East where his village was. Three days was perhaps more time than they could afford, Tessaiga was reacting violently now and it was all Inuyasha could do to keep it in its scabbard. Neither brother was in the mood for wasting time.

"Well, think harder!" Inuyasha said, cuffing the old man on the head.

"I do not appreciate abuse, you young whelp!" Toutousai groaned, rubbing his forehead. "It was all so long ago, how can an old man like me be expected to remember?"

"Do not pretend, Toutousai," said Sesshoumaru coldly, "This is not the time to try to be funny."

"Who said I was pretending? You young whelps, if your father could see you now, abusing his old friend, absolutely no respect…"

"Maybe this will jolt your memory," Sesshoumaru drew Toukijin and held it towards Toutousai.

"Ah! Oo! Oh, no need for that! Hey, guess what? I remember!" Toutousai giggled nervously. "Why don't you all sit down and have a cup of tea while I tell you about the _sanshinken_."

"We have no time to spare," Sesshoumaru said, looking disapprovingly at Inuyasha who had already sat down and was drinking a big cup of tea.

"Ahhh, well…I didn't want to tell you two…" Toutousai sighed and took a big gulp of tea, " But since you insist…"

"Get on with it," said Inuyasha rudely.

"It's bad. Bad bad bad."

"We already knew that," Sesshouamru said, "I could not find much in chichiue's library about the swords except for vague warnings that they should never be used together. What exactly would happen if they were?"

"As you know, I didn't forge Souunga. Your father, Inutaisho fought for and won that sword many centuries ago from a demon from hell – Sonkai, I think its name was. Although Inutaisho was a powerful tai-youkai, Souunga proved a troublesome sword even for him: it contained an ancient hell-spirit that sought to dominate heaven and earth. That was one of the reasons he asked me to force tessaiga, it contained the will of humans that could stand against the will of hell. Even that was not enough, eventually, he asked me to forge another sword, tenseiga, to contain the will of heaven. Only togther, tenseiga and tessaiga can control Souunga so it's bad that you have given tenseiga to Naraku. But that's not all…"

Toutousai took a deep drink before speaking again.

"It is true what you have discovered from Inutaisho's scrolls. The _sanshinken_ should never be used together: if one has all three sanshinken, the three swords can combine in power to dominate all life on earth. Mountains will become valleys, the sky and sea can change places, the stars will vanish…truth and reality will merge so that there will be no more reality, everything bends to the will of the controller of the sanshinken."

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru exchanged glances. Toutousai was right, this was bad.

"…and if you say Tessaiga is acting strangely these days…" Toutousai looked sadly at Inuyasha, "It probably means that Naraku has the other two swords and is searching for tessaiga. It is the combined will of the other two that is calling to Tessaiga. Somehow, Naraku has realized the power of the sanshinken…he will be coming for tessaiga soon, Inuyasha."

"How was chichiue able to control all three swords?" Sesshoumaru asked suddenly. "Why did he not control the world and wreck reality like you say?"

"As if your father would do that!" Toutousai scolded, "I only said the swords were _capable_ of doing that together, but that doesn't mean one _has_ to do it! Your father was very careful not to use all three swords together. Even in his final battle, he did not unleash the fate of the sanshinken on the world. He could have killed Takemaru and saved his life had he done that, but he _chose_ not to and died instead! He was a good youkai was Inutaisho!"

"Now that Naraku has two swords, is there any way to defeat him using only Tessaiga, or some other weapopn?" Inuyasha asked.

Toutousai scratched his head, "I would have to say…er, NO. I think you are pretty much doomed. Youkai swords are powerful beyond anything you can imagine."

Sesshoumaru growled in annoyance, "I cannot accept that, old man, there has to be a way. _No_ weapon, even the sanshinken, can be almighty. There was a hint of something in my father's library, but I cannot understand it."

Toutousai looked askance at the tai-youkai, "What was it?"

"It mentioned the undoing of the sanshinken by a countering force of purity. But it did not mention from where this force should come or how to bring it about."

Toutousai sighed and shook his head at Sesshoumaru, "The sanshinken depend on huge amounts of youkai energy. I suppose an enormous countering force of _jun_ or purity energy could counter them but more than any normal human could generate."

"Human?" Inuyasha said.

"Yes, you don't expect _jun-sei _to be generated by a youkai, do you? We youkai cannot generate such a force at all, not even you, a hanyou with some human blood in you. There is too much youkai in you. Perhaps a very powerful miko could do it..."

"Kagome?"

"No, Inuyasha. if you remember, Kagome absorbed the shikon-no-tama which is comprised of youkai energy, even _she_ is tainted now though she has just enough miko power in her to keep the shikon-no-tama in check. I was speaking of the powerful mikos of old, like Midoriko, or even Kikyo...but none are alive today..."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "A _human_ can defeat the sanshinken? I find it hard to believe."

Toutousai nodded, "I know what you mean, Sesshoumaru. Although the scrolls write about this _jun-sei_, I highly doubt it can be generated by anyone any more...So, If I were you, Inuyasha, I would pack up my bags and run as far away as possible. How about you go to the future with Kagome?"

"He will find me even there," growled Inuyasha. "Tessaiga is reacting more and more violently these days!"

"We are leaving now," Sesshoumaru said suddenly.

"Where?" Toutousai said curiously.

"To kill Naraku, of course" was Sesshoumaru's calm reply.

"Haven't you been listening to him you stubborn jerk?" Inuyasha said grouchily, "It's impossible to defeat the swords with just Tessaiga! Worse if he gets all three! We need that fricken' purity force or whatever!"

"Maybe only with the way _you_ handle tessaiga, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru sneered. "The only thing you could probably cut off is your own foot."

"The dog has a point," mused Toutousai aloud, "I have always thought Inuyasha's sword technique resembled the chopping of firewood."

"How dare you!" Inuyasha bashed Toutousai on the head again before whirling round on Sesshoumaru. "Well at least I can use it, _you_ can't even _touch_ Tessaiga! Asshole!" Inuyasha leapt out of Toutousai's cave in front of Sesshoumaru. "And we're not going to Naraku now, I told you we have to go to see Miroku and Sango first! I promised Kagome I would drop in on them first!"

"Suit yourself, I am going to Naraku."

"Then you'll be going my way anyway," Inuyasha spat out.

"What do you mean?"

"Tessaiga is reacting strongly in the direction of my village," Inuyasha sighed, "That's part of the reason I have to go check it out."

Sesshoumaru eyed Inuyasha skeptically. He did not sense any bad shouki from that direction, but then if that Mahoumaru youkai had managed to mask his master's shouki again... "Fine."

Toutousai watched as the two half-brothers trailed down the mountain. He scratched his head and sighed.

"Stubborn fools," he said to his three-eyed cow who was tethered at the mouth of his cave. "If Inutaisho were here, he'd give them _both_ a good spanking. Ahh, the good old days…"

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha reached the foot of Toutousai's mountain both in a foul humour. Inuyasha was mad at his older brother for insulting his sword technique again…and in front of Toutousai at that. Sesshoumaru was angry that his brother doubted his ability to defeat Naraku Tenseiga. Things were different now…Rin was out of the picture, there was no reason why he would have to hold back.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken ran forward to greet his master, "What did Toutousai say?"

Sesshoumaru looked away and sniffed. Jaken knew he was not going to get an answer when Sesshoumaru was in that mood. The green toad turned to Inuyasha instead.

"Well, hanyou? What did he say?"

"Hanyou…hanyou…Take that!" Inuyasha planted a fist on Jaken's head and the toad passed out.

"Do not waste time," Sesshoumaru said suddenly, "I smell fire in the East."

"Er…yeah. Fire…sure, I smell it too." Inuyasha's sense of smell was not as good as his full youkai half-brother's but no way in hell was he going to let that on. Sesshoumaru looked at him skeptically and Inuyasha busied himself with scratching his ears.

"It lies in the direction of your village, it is up to you whether we should make haste or not."

Inuyasha growled and leapt forward, "I don't need you to tell me the decisions to make!"

Sesshoumaru swiftly ran towards the East, keeping up easily with Inuyasha, indeed, often having to slow himself down to avoid over-taking the hanyou.

"What happened?...Aaak! Mate-o!" Jaken sprang to life, squawking with alarm. "Sesshoumaru-samaaaa! Choto mate o! Sesshoumaru-samaaa!"

The toad youkai could hardly keep up with his master in front of him, but years of trailing after the powerful dog-demon had made even Jaken swift of foot. Inuyasha increased his pace. Sesshoumaru was right, there _was_ the smell of burning! It smelt like wood smoke, livestock and humans. For some reason, a village had been set on fire. Thankfully, it wasn't _his_ village – that was too far away to be causing the smell, but certainly a large village was burning nearby.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru veered off course in front of him and dipped to the right. The tai-youkai hissed as his arm shot out and grabbed a ball of light that was streaking towards them. A piteous yelp escaped from the ball.

Inuyasha ran towards his half-brother to see what he had caught. Jaken caught up with the two youkai and fell to the ground panting. Sesshoumaru was holding the creature at arm's length and shaking him. It was groaning in fear and suddenly it spoke.

"Inuyasha! Where the _fuck_ have you been?" The creature raised its head and stared angrily at him.

"Sh-Shippou!" Inuyasha gulped. "W-what are you doing here?"

The kitsune burst into tears.

"Let him go, bastard," Inuyasha barked at Sesshoumaru who obligingly dropped Shippou on the ground at Inuyasha's feet. Shippou burst into noisy tears.

"Pull yourself together! You're no longer a child!" Inuyasha scolded, but not too harshly.

"It's that kitsune brat that followed the Inu-tachi around!" Jaken squawked, stating the obvious.

Shippou blew his nose into his sleeve noisily. He might have been sixteen years old, but in some ways, he was still like a child. Inuyasha made up his mind to have a stern word with Kagome about Shippou when he met her again.

"What happened? What are you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded of Shippou.

"I was leading the way!"

"What way? Who were you leading?" Inuyasha boxed Shippou's ears. "Don't be so cryptic!"

"Th-The villagers are heading to the W-West for protection of the Lord of the West…I was supposed to be leading them to…to…" Shippou stared at Sesshoumaru and trembled, "…your half-brother's palace. These villagers believe in an ancient contract made by Inutaisho and his Lady Akemi-Sama to shelter humans in their time of need!….but…b-but…I don't really know where we're going, or what I'm doing, or if I'm even going in the right direction, or if w-we're all gonna…if we're gonna…. DIE! WAAAAAH!" The kitsune burst into noisy tears and buried his face in Inuyasha's fire-rat cloak. He had been strong for too long now, leading the homeless villagers into the unknown, convincing them they would soon be at the palace, looking after the injured…and all the while not even sure if he was going in the right direction or whether his friends were dead… "WAAAAAH!"

"Why are _you_ leading them?" Sesshoumaru asked, with narrowed eyes. He remembered the ancient contract which his mother had persuaded his father to agree to. But he had never thought it would have to be put into use.

"W-we were attacked a few days ago by eagle youkai…our taijiya could not fight them off…th-they were all killed…Some of us survived and we met with other villages who had been made homeless. It is said those who are killed are resurrected as zombies to serve in the palace…"

"Palace?"

"The mysterious Black Palace that appeared near our village some days back. There is a rumour that Naraku rules the palace and turns the villagers into his slaves and zombies. It is a Palace from hell."

"Miroku? Sango and the kids?" Inuyasha feared the worst.

"Sango went ahead with Myouga-jiji to the Western Palace on Kirara, she was going to call you and Kagome back! Myouga knew the way, I am following their scent. B-But Miroku…M-Miho and M-Miru…WAAAAH!"

"Pull yourself together!" Inuyasha shook Shippou sharply, "Are they dead?"

"WAAAAAAAAH!"

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Kagome and Rin sat in Rin's room, near a window looking out to sea. Rin was embroidering a border around a silk handkerchief, in an intricate design of birds and flowers.

"Where did you learn to embroider so well, Rin?"

Rin put down her embroidery and stretched. "Reka taught me…Would you like to embroider too, Kagome-sama?"

"Me?" Kagome burst out laughing, "No, I hate it. When I was in school, my teacher used to tear her hair out in frustration at anything I sewed. The stitches were big and clumsy, nothing like your little stitches here."

"Oh no! My embroidery is very bad. Every time Reka says I'm making progress, Sesshoumaru will ask me to go traveling again, and I never have time to perfect my technique. I much prefer traveling to sewing." Rin put away her sewing and turned to the sea.

"You miss him, don't you?" Kagome said, smiling.

"Yes." Rin sighed. "He seldom leaves me alone, but I can't really expect to go along this time without being properly healed yet."

Kagome wondered if she should ask Rin a little bit more about her relationship with Sesshoumaru. When Rin was a little girl of seven, it was clear that Sesshoumaru looked after her like a good guardian and parent. But Rin was no longer a little girl. At seventeen, most women in the Sengoku Jidai were married, with children, what did Rin intend to do? What did Sesshoumaru intend to do with Rin?

"Rin-chan…has Sesshoumaru ever spoken about your future?"

"Oh yes, Sesshoumaru-sama would like me to remain with him forever, which is my wish too," said Rin happily. Her face darkened, "But he has been searching for the elixir of immortality for eight years without success, so one day, I may die. But as long as I live out the rest of my life with Sesshoumaru-sama, I will be happy."

This news was surprising to Kagome. Sesshoumaru actually liked this human girl enough to search for the elixir of immortality for her? That was very odd, what could his intentions be?

"Have you never wanted to re-join a human village? You could come back with Inuyasha and I, and live with us in our village. There are many good young men in the village who would be eager to marry you."

Rin laughed, "Thank you for your kind offer, Kagome-sama, but I could never stay with humans again! I know no other life, Sesshoumaru-sama has been most kind to me, this is my home now."

"But what about a husband, and children?"

"They are not important, besides…"

"Besides?" Kagome peered at Rin who had begun to blush.

"I-I-I cannot imagine a human man ever comparing to Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Rin-chan." Kagome said softly, "If you have eyes only for Sesshoumaru-sama, perhaps you are blinding yourself to other possibilities out there. There are many good men in my village."

Rin closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh scent of the sea, "I belong with no one else, Kagome-sama. I owe Sesshoumaru-sama my life many times over. When I died as a child, he revived me with tenseiga under no obligation at all. Whenever I was hungry, he fed me. When I was tired, he carried me. When I was afraid, he was always there. Never have I gone without when it was within his means to provide it. Even if he stops caring for me, I will serve him as his servant without acknowledgement or praise."

"Rin-chan, I do not think Sesshoumaru will ever stop caring for you." Kagome said confidently, "Has he never said anything about how he feels for you to reassure you?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama never speaks much about his feelings," Rin said, "He has told me he values me, that I am worth more to him than tenseiga, and that makes me happy. The fact that he has been searching for ways to prolong my life shows me he values me, he does not need to say anything more." Rin's eyes lit up, "Oh yes, I nearly forgot to give you this, Kagome-sama." She handed the kotodama rosary to Kagome.

"Eh? Aren't you wearing it any more? You are still susceptible to ill health and need protection."

"Iya, Kagome-sama, yesterday before he left, Sesshoumaru-sama gave me an even more powerful charm." Rin unselfconsciously moved aside the collar of her kimono and pulled out the pearl kubikazari. "It is beautiful, ne?"

"H-He gave that to you?" Kagome gasped and her eyes widened. This was no mere pretty trinket to amuse a young girl! This was a necklace to beautify a princess, a sign of status and value in a royal household.

"It is much too grand for me," Rin laughed, "But Sesshoumaru insisted I wear it. It is mine whatever decision I make."

"Decision? What do you mean?"

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama asked me in what capacity I wanted to continue by his side. I am to think of the answer and tell him when he returns."

"And have you put any thought on it?"

"I will tell him that I am happy to follow him as his humble servant or friend for the rest of my life. I do not want to be a burden to him, or a weakness that his enemies can exploit."

Rin's broken fingers played with the pearls on the necklace, rolling each perfect luminescent orb against the milk-white skin of her throat. Looking at that delicate skin on her throat and the luster of the fine pearls, a sudden realization hit Kagome. Inuyasha had once told her about the marriage rituals of demons, the ritual that he intended to go through with her next spring. It involved a 'marking' of each other by a small bite-wound to each other's necks, and an exchange of some precious jewellery; a brooch, or earring, or necklace, to be worn close to that marriage mark.

Rin's fingers continued sliding the perfect string of pearls around the soft skin of her throat. It was so obvious. Kagome was filled with the greatest desire to laugh and clap, if only Rin knew what Sesshoumaru's intentions toward her were, the girl would not speak of being his friend muc, less his _servant_! All the fine things that Sesshoumaru gave her: the silk kimonos, the pretty paintings, the rosewood shamisen, books, her own private garden…all items belonging to a royal lady of a palace… and now, this _kubikazari_ that even the Empress of Japan would envy! It was so obvious.

"Rin-chan," Kagome patted the hand of the young lady gently. "I think you misunderstand Sesshoumaru."

Rin looked confused. "How so?"

Kagome smiled, "I think, Rin-chan, that the decision Sesshoumaru was asking you to make was not whether you wanted to continue staying with him as friend or servant."

"He was not?"

Kagome smiled, "Sesshoumaru was asking you to ...."

Someone burst into the room and interrupted her. Kagome and Rin leapt to their feet in surprise. Reka, the kitsune handmaiden, wore a worried look.

"Forgive me for intruding so rudely!" the kitsune panted, "A taijiya is here and insists on seeing you!"

"Taijiya?" Kagome was instantly on alert.

"Taijiya?" Rin asked, surprised.

"Kagome-chan!" Sango burst into the room, pushing the kitsune servant aside. Her black ninja armour was badly ripped and blood dripped from many wounds. Sango's face was streaked with tears and blood as she fell exhausted in Kagome's arms. "_They have taken my family_!"


	15. Chapter 15: Worst Place, Worst Time

**Chapter 15: Worst Place, Worst Time**

"Sango-chan! Sango-chan!" Kagome shook Sango's shoulders gently. "What has happened? What do you mean they _took_ your family?"

Sango buried her head in Kagome's shoulder. "A couple of days ago, Miroku and I met up with Myouga-jichan and were just about to visit you at this Palace when, that very morning, our village was attacked by vicious eagle-youkai. They killed and took the bodies, and _live_ people too, to the Black Palace!"

"The Black Palace?" Rin asked in a shocked voice, "What's that?"

Sango looked up and stared at Rin. She recognized the tortured young woman she had seen lying among the Orochi bodies in the South, except now Rin was clothed in a fine orange silk kimono, and looked blooming and healthy.

"Rin-chan, it is good to see you well."

Rin looked confused, "When… have we met?"

"Never mind," Sango said, smiling a little, "We'll get to know each other better later."

"I remember, you are Kohaku's sister!" Rin said, in sudden recognition, immediately regretting her words. "Gomenasai, I didn't mean to bring up that sad topic."

A flash of pain crossed Sango's tear-stained face, "Ne, it's all right. You are right, I am Sango, Kohaku's sister."

Kagome led Sango to a chair and made her sit down. There would be time for introductions later, "Sango, please tell us what has happened. What is this black palace that you spoke of?"

"Kaede-Bachan says that it is a palace from hell. Miroku's _kazaana_ opened up the morning that the eagles attacked us and the black palace appeared near our village. We tried our best to fight them off but there was just too many and they took my Miho and Miru. We couldn't stop them so Miroku let himself be taken as well, so that he could at least follow them and try to save them!"

"Nami-o! Nami-o! I brought this taijiya and the fire-cat here! As fast as I could" An old bald flea jumped out of Sango's hair.

"Myouga-jichan!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Hai, nice to see you again, Kagome! It's been a long time since I came to The Palace Of The West, Sesshoumaru-sama was never too welcoming, if you know my meaning...though after Inutaisho, he had the sweetest blood you know...My my!" Myouga's eyes grew wide at the sight of Rin next to Kagome, "If it isn't Rin-chan, the young _hime_ of the Western Palace...it is as the youkai gossip says: Sesshoumaru-sama has really kept you in style!"

"Myouga-jichan, you flatter me!" Rin said softly. "I live here only at Sesshoumaru-sama's kind permission, and if he treats me well, I do not ask for it."

The old flea scratched his head, "You remind me of her...it's your bright eyes and sweet voice, a beautiful youkai queen who lived here here three hundred years ago. Ah yes! Ake..."

"Ahem!" Kagome interrupted, "Myouga-jichan, that's enough reminiscing from you! We must help Sango-chan. We really regret we weren't there with you Sango-chan. Unfortunately, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru left to consult Toutousai some days ago. It seems that Naraku has been able to revive himself with Tenseiga, and if you say he has brought up a Palace from Hell, he must have gotten hold of Inuyasha's chichiue's sword of hell…_Souunga_, while he was in the underworld."

Sango looked shocked. "Souunga?"

Rin nodded, "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama told me before he left that he was going to consult Toutousai about the _sanshinken_, the three divine swords, because he feared that Naraku was on a mission to collect all three. He already had Tenseiga, and he was looking for Souunga. It is sad indeed that he has found that cursed sword."

Kagome turned pale. "_Sanshinken_? That means he will be after Inuyasha's Tessaiga!"

"Oh dear..." Myouga began to sweat, "Th-The sanshinken? That's _bad_ news..."

Rin and Sango turned to Kagome, the miko looked worried. "Did you see any sign of Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru on your way here, Sango?"

"Iya, Kirara flew above the clouds."

"I see…"

"But Shippou and the others _might_ have met them on his way here. They had to pass near Toutousai's mountain."

"Shippou?" Kagome asked, "What is he doing heading here?"

Sango suddenly looked a little shy. "So many villages were attacked or decimated, no where is safe, so the villagers banded together and are coming to the Lord of the West to ask for sanctuary and protection. The Elders, including Kaede-bachan, speak of an old contract between Lord Inutaisho and the villagers to protect them in times of dire trouble."

"Even if there were no contract, they must come here!" Rin exclaimed, "Sesshoumaru-sama's palace is well-protected by charms and defensive jyaki, I cannot bear the thought of all those innocent humans dying! When will they arrive?"

"Shippou was following hard on the heels of my scent, if all goes well, they should arrive tomorrow."

"How many?"

"About a thousand."

Rin nodded. "I will get the servants to prepare for their arrival."

"Rin-chan…" Kagome looked admiringly at the young girl, who no longer looked or sounded so young any more. "It is very kind of you. Are you sure Sesshoumaru would not mind?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama would honour Lord Inutaisho's contract with humans, he has great honour," Rin said proudly. "Reka, Kyoko!"  
The two kitsune handmaidens hurried forward.

"Hurry and prepare the area for a thousand humans to camp by the palace. Make sure there is water and food for all."

Kyoko and Reka looked at each other in surprise. "But Rin…a thousand is a great number!"

"The youkai who made them destitute is the same one who captured and hurt me," Rin said bitterly, "We must help these others he has harmed."

"Hai, Rin." Kyoko and Reka exited the room.

"Well, Kagome-sama and Sango…it's time for you to go."

"Huh?"

Rin held Sango's hand and helped the woman to her feet. "Ask your fire-cat Kirara to track Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's scent from here. You will find them soon, then you must help them defeat Naraku."

"Take care, Rin-chan. Remember, you are recently healed, you must not exert yourself."

"Iya, don't think about it. Hayaku, go and save your loved ones."

"Hai, Rin…you take care."

"Mmm." Rin nodded, looking brave and not letting on how terrified she felt at everything.

Sango and Kagome left the room, the taijiya leaning on Kagome for support. Rin smiled and waved goodbye. Sango and Kagome made their way to where Kirara was waiting.

"Ah, this is so bad..." Myouga-jiji settled himself on a cushion in Rin's room.

"Myougai-jichan! Aren't you going with them?"

"Er, no...I'm sure Kirara can find her way back, she's a smart cat that one!"

"Is it because it's dangerous there?" Rin scolded, her eyes darkening, "You're still a big coward Myouga-jichan!"

"Now listen here you young brat!" the old flea jumped up indignantly, "I am not going because...well, er, well, because...siiigh, okay I admit it, I'm a coward..."

Rin sighed. "Well, I hope Sesshoumaru-sama is safe."

Myouga leaned back and closed his eyes, "Sesshoumaru-sama is the Lord of The Western Lands, my dear...it'll take more than the sanshinken to kill him."

"Inutaisho died." said Rin blankly.

"Yes, but that was Inutaisho's weak spot, you see, he always was a big softie over Izayoi. Sesshoumaru-sama's heart is much harder than his father, he will not make the same mistake his father did and go all soft-hearted for a woman."

Rin felt her heart skip a beat. She placed her fingers on the pearl necklace around her neck and rolled them against her skin. _Myouga-jichan is wrong,_ she thought, _Sesshoumaru-sama has already given up tenseiga for me._

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As he ran, Inuyasha swore at Sesshoumaru under his breath. Trust his jerk half-brother to rush ahead in that ball of energy and to leave him behind...not that he needed or expected Sesshoumaru's help... Inuyasha growled at the thought that Sesshoumaru might arrive at the Black Palace and kill Naraku before he did! If there was anyone going to snuff out Naraku's life...again...it would be him, Inuyasha! Naraku deserved to die for what he had done to Kikyo...and Kohaku...and Miroku...Inuyasha felt his eyes flooding with red, but the weight of Tessaiga at his side snapped him back to sesnsibility. Inuyasha patted Tessaiga, he had no doubt that Tessaiga would be the one, despite all that that old bat Toutousai had said.

The landscape was becoming familiar, ad Inuyasha knew that he was on the edge of Inuyasha forest now, beyond lay his village. Sesshoumaru's scent came to his nose, it was a few hours old...the tai-youkai was still ahead of him. As he leapt through a final clearing, Inuyasha practically froze in shock at the sight that met his eyes.

Where his village had been was nothing but the ruined, charred, remains of huts and livestock. The rice-fields were dry, their water seeping into enormous cracks in the earth. The trees were uprooted by the same long cracks. An enormous earthquake must have taken place! Slowly, Inuyahsa raised his line of vision.

It was there.

The Black Palace.

Just as Shippou had said.

Rising out of a huge pit in the ground, the forbidding outcroppings and turrets of the obscene structure thousands of feet into the sky. It was swathed in the foul red fog of Naraku's jyaki which Inuyasha instantly recognised and enormous bird youkai circled the topmost turret. The landscape about him was morbid, to say the very least. Not a creature moved, not a bird sang. Naraku's evil jyaki had seeped into the very earth and poisoned every thing alive, Inuyasha himself could feel the tendrils of evil surrounding him, though he tried his best to ignore them.

It was a good thing that Kagome was not here.

Inuyasha cursed that Naraku was back. It was a bad time. A very bad time. It was not like before, when the Inu-tachi were younger and fearless. Now, Sango and Miroku had children to look after and Kagome carried a young life within her… Inuyasha felt a slight wave of panic every time he thought of that little pup in her belly. It seemed to him miraculous that he could plant the seed of life in her, and cause something so precious to grow in this world. His pup was so fragile, so young yet, that the normally brash Inuyasha was obsessively protective over both mother and child.

He had to kill Naraku. He had to kill him properly this time, send him _and_ his spirit to hell where he belonged.

Inuyasha moved forward cautiously, and became aware that the silence was being slowly pierced by a low hum. The hum grew as he approached the base of the castle and Inuyasha felt a shiver run up his spine. This was no ordinary sound of earth, looking into the moat of the Black Palace, Inuyasha gasped at the horrific sight that met his eyes. Thousands of corpses swarmed over each other in a river of enceasing torment. Their bloodied faces and rotting flesh turned maliciously towards him and a chilling howl rose up from that hellish abyss.

"That is _hell_."

Inuyasha jumped at the voice in his ear. "Sesshoumaru! What the fuck did you do that for?"

The tai-youkai ignored him and began the long climb over the draw-bridge to the cliff on which the Black Palace perched. "If your nerves are giving out now, I don't expect you to last long in there."

"Bastard!" Inuyasha yelled and charged after Sesshoumaru. The draw-bridge swung dangerously from side to side, but the tai-youkai continued steadily onward. "If you're so great, why didn't you go in before me? Instead you chose to hang about here for hours waiting for me…What's the matter, Sesshoumaru, were you– chicken?"

Wordlessly, Sesshoumaru continued across the bridge. Once or twice, he glanced at the sky, but said nothing in reply to Inuyasha. The sun was setting and night was nearly upon them.

The two half-brothers reached the end of the bridge and found themselves at the foot of the enormous black cliff. Sesshoumaru didn't like the fact that it was so quiet. Where were the guards? Still, the tai-youkai began climbing up the narrow path that wound up the mountain. He had gone too far, and the matter was too urgent, to wait any longer… the fact that he had to wait for Inuyasha already irritated him, but the tai-youkai had his reasons for doing that, and if Inuyasha didn't know why, then he was more of a fool than Sesshoumaru already thought him.

"No guards…very suspicious," sniffed Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru halted.

"What?" barked Inuyasha.

The tai-youkai began to growl and his hair began to crackle with energy.

"Stay silent, fool."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest but something made him shut it again. The two half brothers stood back to back, Sesshoumaru drew toukijin and held it in front of him and Inuyasha heaved Tessaiga out of its sheath. Around them, the rocks began to quiver…

"What the fuck…" Inuyasha glanced wildly from side to side.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and sliced toukijin towards the cliff side. A smattering of innocuous looking boulders smashed apart and there was a despairing howl. Suddenly. Faces pressed out of the rocks around them and out of the cliff side, thousands of figures appeared from the rock and charged at them.

"The rocks are an illusion hiding soldiers!" shouted Inuyasha, "Take _that! KAZE….NO…KIZUUUU_!"

The wind-scar sent the creatures that emerged from the rocks flying. Sesshoumaru sent the sword force of toukijin towards more of the soldiers. From above and below them, all along the path of the cliff-face, the creatures emerged as if from out of the walls of stone. Very cunning to trap them here on this narrow cliff-side. One wrong step and he and Inuyasha would fall thousands of feet. Sesshoumaru glanced at the path ahead, the creatures swarmed towards them.

"Wait!" Inuyasha said, suddenly, "These creatures…they are humans!"

In the growing dark, the figures swarmed down upon them. To his horror, Inuyasha recognized the faces of some of the villagers – they were blank-eyed and zombified, but there was no doubt that he knew some of these people. Sesshoumaru raised toukijin.

"Stop!" Inuyasha hung onto Sesshoumaru's sword arm. "These people are innocent villagers and soldiers! They are merely being controlled!"

Sesshoumaru growled and shoved Inuyasha aside, "These humans are in my way."

Inuyasha drew Tessaiga and glared at Sesshoumaru, "Bastard! I'll kill you first before you harm them!"

On the sheer cliff face, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru clashed swords, the pressure of Tessaiga and Toukijin shook the mountain. A sudden horrid laughter pierced the air, "Ssssstill fighting, I sssee! What loving brothers, your father would be sssssso disssssapointed!"

In an instant, Sesshoumaru flung his Poison Whip towards the source of the noise, but it met thin air.

"You'll have to do better than that! Now, will you kill these innossssssent villagers just to reach Naraku's Palace? Or will you be sssssssoft and and let them kill you inssssstead?"

"Mahoumaru.You know I will kill these humans if I have to." Sesshoumaru said.

Inuyasha looked desperately around him, the path before and after them was blocked by thousands of zombified villagers. One wrong move by either youkai would send them over the edge plunging into the darkness below.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha barked urgently and pointed upwards, "Ma-ue! We can make it!"

Inuyasha leapt up the sheer cliff face, it was going to be a hard climb, but they had no choice.

Sesshoumaru looked at his half-brother springing up the cliff face, he would have preferred to slaughter the villagers, but it also looked faster to follow Inuyasha. Silently, Sesshoumaru leapt up the cliff face, keeping pace steadily with Inuyasha.

Worriedly, Sesshoumaru looked at the sky again. It was nearly dark.

"Inuyasha, you have to hurry." Sesshoumaru said, catching up with the hanyou.

"Keh! I can go much faster than this, I'm just slowing down for you."

Sesshoumaru started to emit energy, surrounding himself with an energy ball.

"What are you doing? You're giving away our exact location!" Inuyasha shouted.

Sesshoumaru ignored the hanyou.

Mahoumaru's deep laugh could be heard all around them. "So, Sesshoumaru, in your haste you surround yourself with jyaki, you are an easy target now." The mountain rumbled ominously. "My master Naraku eagerly awaits your arrival, if you survive the climb..."

"Hold on to my fur," Sesshoumaru ordered Inuyasha, blocking his path upwards.

"Naaaaani?" Inuyasha shouted, clinging to the cliff face "I don't need your fuckin' help getting up this mountain! A hanyou can climb just as well."

Sesshoumaru's mouth twisted into a slight sneer. "Perhaps. But a _human_, cannot."

"Huh?" Inuyasha said, "What are you talking about."

Sesshoumaru raised his eyes and so did Inuyasha. Above them, a sliver of a gold moon swam into view from behind the dark clouds of the night. Slight and sharp as the blade of a child's katana, that thin object struck fear into Inuyasha's heart.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha. "Unless you want to die a very swift death on this mountain, you will do exactly as I tell you from now on."

Inuyasha gasped as he stared at his soft, clawless, fingertips. How could he have forgotten! And of all the places to be at this time, Naraku's stronghold was probably the worst in the whole world! Worst place, worst time...what were the odds of that?

"Y-You knew? Is that why you waited for me?"

Sesshoumaru turned away.

"I don't need your kindness!" Inuyasha continued, "I will climb up by myself."

"Don't mistake my intentions as kindness," Sesshoumaru hissed, "I cannot hold Tessaiga myself, that is the _only_ reason why you are here with me."

"Whatever." Inuaysha cursed, "Fuck you."

Sesshoumaru gave Inuyasha a final glare before drawing toukijin and holding it against his half-brother's neck. "I have come this far, Inuyasha. Don't let your pathetic hanyou pride get in my way now." Inuyasha swallowed. Sesshoumaru's eyes were flooding with red as he continued, "I will not leave here without avenging Rin, and if you plan on ruining my chances of doing so, either I or Naraku will kill you tonight. Your pup will be born without a father, Inuyasha. Will you let selfishness prevail?"

Slowly, Inuyasha reached out his hands and held on to the thick fur of Sesshoumaru's fur stole. Silently, Sesshoumaru surrounded himself with jyaki and took off into the sky.

As they flew, Inuyasha fought with his humiliation and anger. Rescued by his fucking half-brother. How could he have forgotten that this was the night of the new moon? He knew that by himself, he didn't stand half a chance of surviving as a human against Naraku. Quite frankly, his life was in Sesshoumaru's hands for the rest of the night. Inuyasha placed his hand on Tessaiga. The youkai sword trembled violently in response to its two brother swords nearby.

When they landed, Inuyasha would tell Sesshoumaru the bad news: that as a human... he could not wield Tessaiga at all.


End file.
